Dr. Paul Erben grew up in Northern Florida. He graduated from Florida State University with B.S. in Biology. While at FSU he was a varsity swimmer for 4 years. After college he pursued a dental career at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine and received his D.M.D.
While in dental school he was selected for an Air Force scholarship. Upon graduation from dental school Dr. Erben was commissioned as a Captain in the USAF and attended a 1 year Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha NE.
After his Air Force commitment ended, Dr. Erben attended the University of Washington and completed his Endodontic Residency. After much hard work and dedication, Dr. Erben completed his board certification and became a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics. He is an active member of the American Dental Association, the American Association of Endodontics, College of Diplomates, and the California Dental Association.
Out of the office Dr. Erben enjoys surfing, scuba diving, hiking, camping, and attending yoga classes in the local area with his wife, Amanda. They love to explore the world and experience new cultures and cuisines! Dr. Erben and his family feel very fortunate to call the Central Coast their new home!
Janet is the business manager and oversees the day to day functions of the office. She has been a part of the dental team for over 16 years working in the front office as well as a registered dental assistant. Janet takes pride in creating great endodontic experiences from the very first call to when a patient leaves happy and pain-free. Born and raised on the central coast, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, trying new foods and overcoming her addiction to Pinterest.
Mary is a Registered Dental Assistant who started her career in dentistry in 2009. Before that she was a hairdresser and worked in retail as a manager. She grew up in Santa Barbara, CA and eventually relocated to Lompoc, CA in 2002. She went to the Allan Hancock Dental Assisting Program. Upon graduation she worked in Orthodontics and then worked in Pediatrics Hospital Dentistry. She has worked in Endodontics for the last 7 years. Mary offers support to her patients to help ensure they have a good experience while in our care. She additionally pays attention to detail to ensure smooth office operations. While not in the office she enjoys spending time with her spouse Whitney and their kids. They also volunteer their time at an animal rescue and watching their youngest daughter play softball.
Alyssa was born and raised on the central coast, and graduated from the Allan Hancock Dental Assisting Program and received her registered dental assistant license. After more than 20 years in the dental field she decided to work in endodontics to increase her knowledge and skills. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, tending to her houseplants and traveling. She prides herself in taking the best care of every patient that enters the office.
Liliana began her dental assistant career in 2018. She began her dental career as a dental receptionist, as just a job to help her get through college but she ended up loving the field! A couple weeks later she was moved to back office for training. Within the years Liliana worked in an office where they allowed her to work in multiple specialties, out of 5 specialties endodontics was the most interesting for her, she found the process fascinating. Liliana wants to keep growing in the dental field, she hopes to one day be a dentist. When Liliana isnt assisting she likes to go to the gym, spend time with family and pets, cook and bake.
Amanda is Paul Erbens wife and assists Spindrift Endo with maintaining and improving relationships with referrers and patients through technology enhancements, marketing activities, and social media. Out of the office she is an Occupational Therapist and yoga instructor. She is always open to feedback or any suggestions to continuously improve Spindrift Endo.
Endodontists are dentists who specialized in maintaining natural teeth through procedures called endodontic therapy, or root canal therapy, that involve the soft inner tissue of the teeth. In addition to 4 years of dental school, endodontists go through two or more years of advanced residency training, studying root canal techniques and procedures in greater depth offering you the best possible care in endodontic treatments.
Endodontics is a branch of dentistry recognized by the American Dental Association involving treatment of the pulp (root canal) and surrounding tissues of the tooth. When you look at your tooth in the mirror, what you see is the crown. The rest of the tooth, the portion hidden beneath the gum line, is called the root. Though the outer portion of the root is a hard tissue called dentin, the inside channel or root canal contains a pulp of soft tissue, blood vessels and nerves.
Bacteria that are introduced into the pulp as a result of tooth decay, fracture, or trauma can severely damage the pulp. When this happens, an endodontic specialist removes the diseased pulp to save the tooth and prevent further infection and inflammation. After successful endodontic treatment, the tooth continues to function normally.