They understand that each patient faces unique oral health challenges, anxieties, and questions. There is no such thing as one-size-fits-all in dentistry, which is why they believe in educating our patients and recommending conservative treatments to keep your teeth and gums healthy for a lifetime.

Our knowledgable and experienced doctors and dental staff are committed to providing high-quality, comprehensive dentistry in a pleasant and comfortable environmentwhether you're a brand-new patient or have been with us for decades.

Although Carrie was born in Texas, she was raised in Southwest, KS. She has lived in Lawrence since 2000 and graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelors Degree in Human Biology and University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry with a DDS degree.

Carrie does enjoy running, cooking, and reading when she has a few moments of free time. She also enjoys volunteer workdonating time to Kansas Mission of Mercy, a free, two-day dental clinic across the state each year, and serving on the planning board when the event was held in Topeka.

Dr. Rutherford was born and raised right here in Topeka, so he's always willing to give out recommendations if you ask. He earned his undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree from Washburn University in 2004, and his DDS from the University of Missouri in Kansas City 2008. Dr. Rutherford graduated in the top 10 of his dental class, and he's always continuing his education and training.

When he's not working,you'll find him spending time with his wife and three children. All of his children are active in sports, and they spend lots of time making that a possibility. He also likes to exercise and play golf when possible.

It was a conversation with a dentist while in college which sparked Dr. Derek Michael's interest in dentistry and prompted him to change his career path. After completing his degree in Biology at Emporia State, the Osage City native attended the University of Kansas City School of Dentistry. His commitment to excellence was evident while in dental school he completed a competitive honors rotation in restorative dentistry.

Dr. Michael's favorite part about being a dentist is getting to know about the person behind the smile while providing them with the best, and most comfortable care. Keeping abreast of the latest advances in dental treatment options, materials, and technology are a top priority of Dr. Michael and the practice. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Kansas Dental Association, and the Topeka District Dental Society.

When not practicing dentistry, Dr. Michael enjoys spending time with his lovely wife, their son, and family dog, Maclin. Dr. Michael spends a great deal of time completing DIY house projects. However, he does find time to attend most Chiefs' games and to get in a few rounds of golf when he can.

Jodi discovered her love for dentistry when she started dental assisting in 1985 with the original owner of this practice. After a few years and different positions, she became office manager in 1998.

Sara has been working with us for over 15 years. Topeka Dentistry feels like home for her. She has met so many great people working here, from her awesome co-workers to the amazing patients. She enjoys seeing and helping people every day. Sara truly loves her job and feels blessed.

When not working, she loves spending time with her husband and daughter and watching her daughter play sports, particularly softball. She enjoys getting back home to visit family as much as they can and spend time in the country and the outdoors. Family time Is priceless.

Tami serves as our receptionist and one of our business office specialists. She is originally from Topeka. Tami has years of experience in the dental field, which allows her to really assist the patients of Topeka Dentistry. She was a certified expanded functions dental assistant and worked many years chairside as a dental assistant and receptionist. Tami loves to greet our patients and to see them happy and smiling! Tami's hobbies include spending time with family and friends, watching TV shows and movies, and watching the sunrise and the sunset. Tami is also fluent in sign language and enjoys helping the hearing impaired.

Nicole is a veteran in the dental field. She completed the Certified Dental Assistant program at Flint Hills Tech School. She has been in practice for decades as both a dental assistant and a lab technician. She has accumulated a great deal of experience within oral surgery offices. She especially enjoys surgery and has been excited about the dental implant technology offered at Topeka Dentistry. Nicole enjoys helping patient transform their smiles and how that can enhance a patient's life. She also feels satisfied that her skills can help alleviate pain. Nicole enjoys coming to work each day to help patients and she enjoys seeing her co-workers. She is an avid reader and enjoys spending time at home with her family.

Lyndi has been with us for over five wonderful years.Her favorite part of her job includes the variety of each day, patient, and casesbut by far what she loves most about her job is helping to give someone back their smile!

Katie has had many positions in the dental office. She loves being able to have a variety of responsibilities in the office. She loves that she gets to meet and work with patients of all ages, (especially when it comes to clear aligners,) and the fun team and environment we have at Topeka Dentistry.

Karlee has been a wonderful addition to the practice. She enjoys being a part of such a caring and fun team. Karlee has previous, specialized experience in assisting during oral surgery procedures. She loves getting to know all of our patients and helping them to have the best experience possible. Karlee enjoys raising her very busy family. She enjoys staying active and traveling the world.

Kelci, a Topeka native, joined our practice after a long history in restaurant management. Her ability to multitask and her cheerful disposition have allowed her to be successful within the practice as both a hygiene department assistant and a clinical chairside assistant. She has discovered her passion for dentistry and plans to attend FHCC to study dental hygiene. Ensuring that patients receive the best care and have the best dental experience is her priority at Topeka Dentistry. She loves learning new things and acquiring new skills. Kelci's hobbies include going to the gym, spending time with her boyfriend, and drinking cocktails.

Topeka Dentistry is honored to have Tisha as a clinical chairside assistant. Since being in the dental field starting in 2001, she has amassed a great deal of experience assisting the doctors while providing exceptional dental care and filling different positions within the front office. Tisha understands each role in the office and how those roles impact the patient experience. Her favorite thing about practicing in her hometown is positively impacting the health and smiles of our patients. When not working, Tisha enjoys spending time with her family.

She lives on a farm in the Leavenworth area with her husband and five kids. You can often find her outside on the weekends with the cows or horses. There are avid runners in her family, so if they are not out on the farm, they are at a race somewhere almost every weekend!

She loves spending time with her husband, Logan, and two boys, Miles and Whitt. They like to take their two Labrador retrievers on walks and play outside. They also love visiting their families on the weekend and going to KSU sporting events through the fall and winter.

Born and raised in Topeka, Kansas, John received his education from Concorde Career College (Associates), Minnesota State University (Bachelors), and he is working on his Masters in Health Administration.

Like others on our dental team, Becca was born and raised right here in Topeka. Shegraduated in May 2020 from Flint Hills Technical College with an Associate's of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene degree. She is now enrolled at Wichita State University to complete her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene.

Becca has been with us since June of 2020, she's already encountered many amazing patients and had the opportunity to help educate them on improving their oral health and give them confidence in their smiles!

Becca loves to mix it up, and outside of the office, she fulfills her passion for travelher favorite place to travel is anywhere with a beach! She also likes to relax by binge-watching shows, shopping, and playing golf.

Trista was born and raised in Topeka and is happy to help the people of her hometown achieve oral health was a dental hygienist with Topeka Dentistry. She started her career in dentistry with roles in the business office and as a dental assistant many years ago. After attending Shawnee Heights High School and Washburn University, she earned her associates degree in dental hygiene. Getting to know her patients and helping them achieve the best oral care are Trista's favorite things about working in the dental field. She stays busy when not at work by spending time with her kids and attending their sporting events.

I used to stress about going to the dentist. No more. The staff at East Topeka Dental are the best! They are great to patients and are very good about making sure I know everything they are doing in my mouth and ensuring I don't have any pain...my favorite part.

We provide a gentle, caring touch for your baby, toddler, teenager, or elderly family member. Every age represents its unique dental needs and milestones, which is why we tailor every patient's care to their smile.

Your teeth should last a lifetime, but factors like age, genetics, injury, and poor oral hygiene can open the door to infection, tooth decay, and other dental issues that can blow up into dental emergencies.

Your preventive dentists, Dr. Peterson and Dr. Rutherford focus on patient education and the importance of oral hygiene to help patients enjoy optimal oral health. During your dental cleaning and exam, we look for signs of gum disease, cavities, oral cancer, and other issues so we can provide early, conservative treatment. The earlier we can treat you, the less invasiveand costlydental procedures can be. The longer you wait to fix an oral health issue, the more extensive and complex the treatment is likely to be.

If you noticed bleeding or swollen gums, you might have gum disease that we can easily treat in its early stages. This is one disease that should not be ignored; untreated periodontitis can damage your gums and bones and lead to tooth loss.

From broken, chipped, cracked, decayed, or missing teeth, we are involved in every step of the way. From assessment, making impressions of your smile, working with state-of-the-art dental labs, using high-quality dental materialswe are committed to restoring your smile.

Whether you have decayed, broken, infected, or missing teeth, we work with only the best custom dental labs and high-quality, brand-name dental materials and products to restore health and beauty to your smile.

We work hard to keep your natural teeth, but in some instances, we may recommend a root canal or dental extraction to keep your mouth safe. No patient wants to hear that they may require either, but we ensure that all patients are comfortable, relaxed, and pain-free throughout the process.

In some cases, our dentists may recommend a root canal or tooth extraction if it's in your best interest. If we do, you can be confident that we use the latest dental technology and potent local anesthetics to make your procedure as efficient and comfortable as possible.

At Topeka Dentistry, we want our patients to look their best. Our cosmetic treatments always begin with an assessment of your oral health to ensure you have a good foundation. Once we're satisfied that your teeth and gums are healthy, we can enhance your appearance. For example, we can use dental bonding to fill in chipped or cracked teeth, and porcelain crowns can protect large cavities or damaged teeth.