My profession is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication that haveprovided me the opportunity to change peoples lives. Every day that I come to work I look forward to the exciting challenges that must be met to achieve my patientstreatment goals. Working with an incredible team of individuals makes those challenges much easier to overcome. My life is enriched by my patients and I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to develop relationships with them. Orthodontics is about more than just straightening teeth. Its about building confidence and self-esteem that enables people to get the most out of their lives.
I am regularly humbled by the trust that my patients put in me and my team during their orthodontic experience, and I take great pride in the work that we do to maintain that level of trust. I have been practicing since 2003 and carry with me the passion to create a family-friendly setting where my patients feel at home.
By being a lifelong learner in my profession, I am able to make orthodontic treatment as comfortable and efficient as possible, as well asprovide the best outcome for each of our patients. I travel to annual meetings through my memberships in numerous professional organizations to keep uptodate on all the current trends and technology in orthodontics. In addition, my team and I attend training sessions to optimize our utilization of advancements within our office.
My team has the unique combination of experience and vibrancy that enable them to make appropriate decisions while interacting with patients with energy and enthusiasm. Their personalities provide the positivity thats required to make the orthodontic experience fabulous for our patients. We love to see young patients blossom before our eyes during their orthodontic experience. We get to know these patients as their personalities develop and they enter the world of young adulthood. This is a very exciting time in their lives and we truly enjoy sharing that with them.
I am originally from Sioux Falls, SD, and currently reside in Eugene with my family. My wonderful wifeTobbieand I have been married since 1999. We have three incredible boys Jack, Sam, and Joeand a little princess named Kate. I am often up before the sun, running on trails or tracks around Eugene to train for marathons or long-distance relay runs. I love to spend weekends with my family skiing, snowboarding, hiking, or camping. I am passionate about family and living life to the absolute fullest.
I believe community service is an investment in the future well-being of our population and the place we call home. I regularly donate my services to school fundraisers throughout Eugene and Springfield. The best serviceI can provide is my talent as a clinician. I have also volunteered my abilities at local dental treatment days and served on the Lane County Dental Society board for years. I have coached local sports teams and supported numerous patients in fundraising efforts toward their individual or team activities or events.
We recognize that all of our patients are unique and deserve to receive orthodontic care that reflects their individual needs. Our experienced and talented team is committed to working with you and your family to create a comfortable, stress-free, and rewarding orthodontic experience every time you visit ourpractice.
My job is to keep the practice running smoothly and efficiently. I work to ensure that our team can focus on delivering personal care to each wonderful patient. I also have the opportunity to oversee the handling of all financial arrangements and insurance billings, to make sure that each family is comfortable with their payment arrangements throughout the course of treatment. I love coming to work every day knowing that I have the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life and work within a genuinely kind and thoughtful team.
My husband of 30 years and I relocated to the Eugene/Springfield area entering a new season for us as empty-nesters. Our daughter lives in Fairbanks, Alaska and our son is in Southern California. We love being in Oregon and part of this community because of the special blend of diversity and small town friendliness. My favorite activity is curling up with a good book, and my husband is an avid fisherman. Together, we enjoy the outdoors and getting away in our truck camper on the weekends.
After almost 7 years with the Thornton team, our beloved TC Cheryl retired from the dental field in September. However, we are now privileged to have the skills and gifts of our previous SC Alicia who is stepping into the TC role and is excited to continue to serve Dr. Thornton'spatients and our community. She has thepleasure of introducing families to our office while answering their questions about treatment options, insurance, and financial arrangements, and helping them move forward in creating healthy smiles.
Having worked for many years in this specialty, I can say with great confidence that being an orthodontic assistant is the most rewarding career I have had. Working under the leadership of Dr. Thornton has been a privilege, and I am really happy to be a small part of the great team here. I have been continually challenged to educate myself on new techniques and technology to help provide excellent treatment to each patient. In addition, making personal connections and seeing each patients smile progress to Dr. Thorntons high standard is a very exciting aspect of my career.
I have been married for more than30 years and am well versed in the world of being a grandparent, to three grandsonsand twogranddaughters. Im loving this exciting role!I also love to do home improvement projects and yard work. It is a part of my personality to see the transformation that takes place by just changing things a little here and there.
I started my dental career managing a start-up endodontic practice in SoCal. Soon after, I decided to relocate to Eugene in 2016 and thatis when I beganmy career in orthodontics. I feel like I'm exactly where I need to be working at Thornton Orthodontics!In addition to being a clinical assistant, I serve as the team's OSHA coordinator. Iam verypassionate about my job.I love that I getto communicate with the office about safety!
Outside of the office, I enjoy spending time hiking, bouldering, making art or napping. I grew up in Salem and moved down to Eugene when I went to the University of Oregon -- where I met my husband, Tony.
From the 2021 covid-restricted graduating class, I knew I wanted to make a positive impact on people's lives. A person's smile is the first thing you notice about them, and everyone deserves to feel confident with their key feature! I've always been interested in orthodontics after having braces myself. The whole process is fascinating and you finish treatment with such a boost of confidence in your smile! Dr. Thornton's team provides such quality care to each of our patients, and I'm so excited that I get to be a part of their orthodontic journey!
I moved to Eugene in 2021 and am very grateful to have found my place on Dr. Thornton's team. I enjoy everything the PNW has to offer, and in my free time you can find me mountain biking or snowboarding depending on the season.
I am the Contracts Coordinator on Dr Thornton's team. I work with patients to initiate the financial aspect of their care. This includes billing insurance and advocating for patients in this setting to ensure benefits are maximized! I am new to the field of Orthodontics.I changed careers after working in mental health for the past seven years. Dr Thornton and his team has accepted me with open arms and I feel grateful being on such a warm and welcoming team.
I was raised in Oakridge, OR, and that's were I met my partnerMax. We have two children;my oldest is seven and my youngest was just born in May 2020. I love animalsandhave two cats named Thomas and Sammie. In my spare time I love to bake, create art, and play video games. I also enjoy traveling withmy favorite trip beingto Alaska in the summer of 2019.
We are proud to provide better service to our patients than any other orthodontist in the Eugene/Springfield area. We understand that creating an incredible experience for our patients is as important as the beautifulsmiles that we create.
If youre interested in a more discreet treatment option, we offer Invisalign, Invisalign Teen, and Clarity SL braces. To ensureyour confidence remains throughout your entire orthodontic experience weprovideseveral treatment options that willallow you to live your day-to-day lives with ease. For our younger patients, growth modification is achieved without headgear in most casesby utilizing more advanced but less visible treatment techniques such as the MARAappliance or temporary anchorage devices.
Every aspect of our practice is focused on your convenience. Your initial exam and X-ray are always complimentary. We know how busy families are today, and that is why we always think of you first when practice decisions are made. Our schedule is built around the local school schedules. Whenever possible, we provide patient care on non-school weekdays, even if this means working on Fridays or certain holidays. This allows children to minimize the amount of school theymiss.
Plus, you can earn T-tokens to purchase gift cards or prizes by responsibly caring for your teeth during your orthodontic experience. Dont forget to take a look at our patient photo board for photos of your friends and family members!
We believe that the smile gives a glimpse into ones soul. Our smile defines each of us. It is our human signature. Our teeth lie at the heart of our smile. When ones teeth are positioned in harmony with all other facial features, the smile is complete.
Our vision is an environment in which our goals can be met with the utmost efficiency and the greatest comfort and enjoyment during your orthodontic experiencea family-friendly, fun atmosphere run by competent, well-trained professionals. Thank you for trusting us with your care.