Dr. Stebbins was introduced to dentistry at an early age: Sheworkedin her uncles orthodontic practice from the age of 15, where she developed an affinity for the patient care experience. In practicesince 2004, Dr. Stebbinsappreciates interacting with our patients and hearing their stories. She always tries to meet people where they are, discovering their goals foroptimal health.
Dr. Stebbins attended Oregon Health &ScienceUniversity for her Doctorate ofMedical Dentistry. She is deeply committed to providing the most excellent care for her patients by spending as much time as possible on continuing education, learning the most cutting edge techniques and materials. Dr. Stebbins is a member of the prestigious Spear Institute, attending both local study club meetings and hands-on courses in Scottsdale, Arizona. She is an officer in the Montana Dental Association and a member of the Academy of General Dentistry. She was the first (along with three colleagues) to achieve board cerfication in the state of Montana with the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.
After graduating in Portland, Dr. Stebbins moved to Bethel, Alaska.She spent six years flying and snowmachining to remote villages with portable equipment (and also working in a larger hospital clinic) to provideurgent care servicesto the Yup'ik Eskimo and Athabaskan people ofthe Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. This often meant waiting with dental equipment in the bitter coldon gravel airstrips.When she was not providing health care, Dr. Stebbins salmon fishedin her custom pink camouflage boatand hunted caribou and ptarmiganon the tundra on her snowmachine. If you ask her, she might even speak to you in a few Eskimo phrases!
Upon her returnto Montana from Alaska, Dr. Stebbins spent three years working at theBlackfeet Community Hospital in Browning. Here, she greatly enjoyed Pikuni culture, and even found time to volunteer with the Browning Fire Department. Dr. Stebbins returned to the Flathead Valley following the birth of her sonJohnny.She bought Dr.Eric Danielssdental practice in Whitefish in September 2013, and Dr. Atchinsons practice in 2015.
Dr. Stebbins feels it is important to give back to her community. She has been a part of multiple dental missions to Vietnam and Nepal.Dr. Stebbins currently volunteers for the Shepherds Hand dental clinic, Sealants for Smiles Program, Headstart, Soroptomist Smiles of Hope Program, and Project Homeless Connect. She is proud to support the 4-H livestock program and the A-Rob Plant-A-Seed snowboarding sponsorship program.
Dr. Stebbins is a sixth-generation Flathead Valley resident, and grew up on a farm in Creston. She raised pigs in 4-H and bucked hay bales. She attended Fair-Mont-Egan school K-8 and graduated with nine other students. She attended high school at Flathead High School, graduating as valedictorian in 1994. Dr. Stebbins attended Gonzaga University, and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in English Literature, her first love, and pre-med. Besides running a business and being a busy mom to her young son, Dr. Stebbins has become involved in the Flathead Valley Clay TargetClub and even won a couple of belt buckles.The clay pigeons tremble in fear.
We recognize that all our patients are unique and deserve to receive dental care that reflects their individual needs. Our experienced and talented dental team is committed to working with you and your family to create a comfortable, stress-free, and rewarding dental experience every time you visit our practice.
Ellie was born and raised in Kalispell, and is Dr. Stebbins' younger sister.After graduating from MSU Great Falls College of Technology dental hygiene school in 2004, she spent her first two years working in Montrose, Colorado.From there, she relocated to Billings, where she and her family resided for eight years. In 2014, she moved back to the wonderful Flathead Valley with her family (Fred, Peyton, and Katie). Ellie enjoys welcoming new patients into our office and getting them started on a pathway to great oral health in a gentle, caring, and thorough manner.She looks forward to maintaining a great working relationship with you for years to come.
Besides assisting Dr. Stebbins chairside, Carla is our expert instrument sterilizer. Patients can usually find her taking X-rays and impressions, and always going the extra mile to ensure your visit is as comfortable as possible.
When shes not in the office, Carla enjoys catching up with her three grown children, as well as spending time with her four grandchildren and hanging out with family and friends. She recently became an American citizen, but dont worry; she can still translate for our Canadian patients, eh!
Linda loves being a chairside dental assistant! She is one of the most experienced dental assistants in the Flathead Valley, and can explain the ins and outs of any procedure. She appreciates our offices strong sense of community, and her passion for giving back carries over into our practice. Linda also performs laboratory work (models, wax-ups, and dentures), answers phones, and anything else that is needed. We love her flexibility!
Linda and her husband have a grown son and daughter-in-law, as well as the cutest grandsons in the world. She enjoys hunting, camping, riding on her ATV, and spending time with her family, church family, and friends.
Emily is very excited to be back in the FlatheadValley after being gone for15 years! She was born in Great Falls and grew up in Whitefish. When shegraduated Whitefish High School she attended MSU-Billings and eventuallymoved to Reno, NV. She and her husband have two children and two dogs. Emilycant wait to take her family hiking, camping, rafting, fishing, skiing,sledding, and all of the other amazing things the Flathead has to offer.
Jared was born and raised in the beautiful small town of Columbia Falls. He attended Flathead Valley Community College where he received an Associates of Science. Immediately afterwards he attended Colorado Northwestern where he received his Associates Degree in dental hygiene. There he was awarded the Clinical Excellence Award and graduated with high honors. He is also certified in laser dentistry for hygiene and take pride in keeping up to date with the latest technology.
Jared became a hygienist because he wanted to make a difference in the lives of his community members and develop long lasting professional relationships. When he is not working, he enjoys staying busy during all seasons of the year. This includes golfing, camping, and hiking in the summer, and hunting, fishing, and snowboarding in the winter. He always manages to stay busy going on adventures with his Yorkie Remington and new wife Kristen, who is also a Dental Hygienist in the office.
Kristen moved to the Flathead Valley in June 2019 from Denver, Colorado. She worked as a dental assistant while attending school at Colorado State University and decided to further pursue her passion for the dental field. She graduated from dental hygiene school summa cum laude at Colorado Northwestern Community College. It was there that she met her future husband Jared, with whom she works alongside at Stebbins Dental Studio. Kristen is known for her ability to be both thorough and gentle and loves the challenge of finding a customized home care routine for each patient that is both simple and effective.
In her free time, Kristen loves to enjoy the beauty and activities Montana has to offer with Jared and their two dogs. She is always ready to try something new and has grown fond of hunting and ice fishing since moving to the valley.
A dental implant is an artificial tooth that acts like a natural one. Its a long-term solution to replace one or more missing teeth. A dental implant replaces the entire tooth, from root to crown, and offers important benefits, like increased stability, durability, and aesthetics.
The root of a dental implant is a small, post-like device made from titanium or titanium zirconium. It is inserted into the jaw bone in place of a missing tooth root, and acts as a support for an artificial tooth crown.
The healing phase lasts between three and 12 weeks, depending on the individual medical situation. During this period, the implant becomes securely attached as the jaw bone grows and bonds with ita process called osseointegration. Once healed, the artificial root acts as a base for an individual crown, multi-tooth bridge, or an entire dental prosthesis.
With conventional crown and bridge treatment, healthy neighboring teeth must be ground down in order to support a bridge. This results in the loss of natural tooth surface. Furthermore, the bridge does not transmit chewing forces to the jaw bone, so bone deterioration may also occur.
Even the best prosthesis will always be a separate part that requires extensive care. By contrast, a dental implant acts as a natural root that merges and integrates with the body to act like a natural tooth.
Implants transmit chewing forces to the jaw bone, helping to maintain your bone and facial structure. This is not the case if teeth are missing, or when a conventional bridge or dentures has been placed. If these forces cease, the bone may slowly recede and the shape of the face may change over time. Dental implants can help prevent this gradual bone deterioration, as they mimic the action of the original root.
Laughing, kissing, singing, and eating like beforeimplants can improve your quality of life. Missing teeth can cause self-consciousness and insecurity, and ill-fitting dentures can cause permanent discomfort. These inconveniences come to a welcome halt with dental implants.
Dental implant therapy is a well-proven, state-of-the-art medical dental technique. For decades, dental implants have been tested and used worldwide by qualified dentists and surgeons. Today, implants offer the possibility to treat almost every indication for missing teeth. According to results of a survey carried out in Germany, 98% of patients indicated their satisfaction level with their dental implants was good or very good.1