At Wendling Ortho, we want you to have a smile that WOWs! Our Doctors & team are passionate about helping you get your confident new smile. Get to knowDr. Lisa Wendlingand Dr. Jessica Perry. We look forward to meeting you!
I am off to save the world, one smile at a time!, this is what I used to tell my two boys when they were young as I left for the office and they headed off to school. They would giggle, I would giggle, and it was a great start to our day. The truth is, I really feel this way! Orthodontics is truly my passion and Wendling Orthodontics is a huge part of my life.
Born and raised in Michigan, I have called mid-Michigan home for most of my life. I graduated high school from New Lothrop and then received my undergraduate education at the University of Michigan. In 1989 I married my high school sweetheart and started my dental school education. I received my dental degree from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1993, where I was inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon, an honorary dental fraternity. I discovered an interest in orthodontics while in dental school and chose to continue my orthodontic specialty education at the University of Michigan. I had my first son, Nolan in 1995, during my orthodontic residency and went on to receive a Masters Degree in Orthodontics in 1996. My second son, Spencer was born in 1997 and I joined what is now Wendling Orthodontics (formerly Vanitvelt and Wendling Orthodontics) in 1998.
Allan (my husband) and I try to spend as much time as we can with our two grown sons, Nolan and Spencer. We also spend many weekends in northern Michigan and love to travel. We are avid dog lovers, which explains the multitude of dog art sprinkled throughout Wendling Orthodontics, and have had French Bulldogs as big part of our family for almost twenty years.
Through the years I have seen first-hand how a healthy, beautiful smile can foster a boost in confidence and self-esteem and am passionate about making a difference in someones life. I understand that the decision to improve ones smile is a big one, filled with excitement and expectation as well as nervousness and hesitation. It is my job to create beautiful, healthy smiles for my patients, and I focus on making the process both rewarding and fun. Meaningful relationships are sometimes formed, and I am fortunate to be able to make a positive change in the lives of so many by improving their smiles.
Ive always known that I wanted to improve the lives of the people around me through my career. When I found orthodontics, it proved to be the perfect way for me to do good by transforming my patients smiles, and ultimately the way they feel about themselves! In my practice, Ive learned the importance of consistently excellent patient interactions. Each of our patients deserves to feel important and cared for, and I focus on fostering a sense of trust and compassion at every visit. My goal is to always make my patients feel more confident when they leave than when they arrived. How lucky am I to say that I absolutely love my job as an orthodontist!
My training started at the University of Michigan where I earned my Bachelors degree in Spanish with a minor in Gender and Health Studies. After this, I stayed at the University of Michigan where I earned both my DDS degree through the School of Dentistry, and finally my Masters degree in Orthodontics, and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon honorary dental fraternity. Go Blue!
As Michigan natives, my husband Danny (who is training to be a cardiologist) and I love to enjoy the best parts of our state. This includes spending time on a few of our favorite lakes, golfing, going Up North, watching U of M sports, and spending time with our families. We are also passionate about seeing all 50 of our United States together and have visited 20 states so far, with plans to see more this year! Having both grown up in Grand Blanc, we are dedicated to caring for the people in the communities we grew up in.
Meet the Wendling Orthodontics Team. Our friendly & professional staff will walk you through the entire process of getting your fantastic new smile. The staff at Wendling Orthodontics has over 151 years of combined experience. You deserve highly skilled and trained professional team members. We look forward to meeting you!
Meet Ericka. She became a dental hygienist in 2016 and found her passion working in orthodontics in 2017. She has been with Wendling Ortho for 3 years. Ericka is the brains behind all the fun Wendling Ortho monthly contests and drawings and works with patients one-on-one with scheduling. She is married and became a mom to a sweet baby girl in 2019. She is an avid Rae Dunn collector and loves crafting and the outdoors. She will greet you with a welcoming smile at the front desk and make you feel right at home.
Meet Melanie. She has been with Wendling Ortho since 2012. She specializes in insurance review and billing and scheduling patients. Fun fact, Melanie was a flight attendant for 16 years prior to becoming enthusiastic about orthodontics. She has 2 dogs, Tobey and Blu, and has a passion for fitness. She has participated in 2 fitness shows and recently received her Pro Card! She currently teaches fitness classes and is working towards certification in nutrition and personal training. Make sure to say hello to her at the front desk.
Meet Tonya. She has been working with Wendling Ortho since 2009 and has over 29 years of experience in orthodontics. She specializes in insurance billing and finances. She works with patients one-on-one to discuss all financial and insurance concerns. Tonya is a problem solver and takes pride in helping patients navigate insurance and financial questions. She is married and has 2 daughters. She also enjoys going to her family cottage on the lake where she loves kayaking and fishing. You can find her bright smile at the front desk.
Meet Olivia. She is new to Wendling Orthodontics and very excited to be part of the team. Olivia schedules and coordinates all new patients in our office. She has been a cosmetologist for 5 years and a lash artist for almost 3 years. Anything beauty, she loves. She is an animal lover as well, and has a dog named Russell. She enjoys spending time with family and going north to her family cottage on the lake. Fun fact, she has 3 brothers, and a big family of 7. She has lived in 4 different states too Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Michigan. Feel free to say hello to Olivia the next time you are in the office.
Meet Brenda. Brenda has over 46 years of experience and has been at Wendling Orthodontics since 1996. She is one of our certified orthodontic assistants, as well as our lab technician. She has experience in all areas appliance fabrication, patient education, reception, etc. Brenda is very caring and patient and is fantastic at answering questions and problem solving for our patients. Outside of the office, she spends time golfing, crafting, cross-stitching, and shopping for those deals online. She enjoys her weekends with her family and playing with her pug. She would love to meet and greet you, so say hello next time youre in the office.
Meet Sam. Sam joined the Wendling Ortho team in 2018. She enjoys working with patients chairside and seeing how they grow during treatment. She admires all the different personalities of patients and the joy they bring to her job. She has been with her high school sweetheart for over 8 years and they enjoy kayaking and fishing together. She loves being an aunt, has a cat named Ralphie, and has fun playing recreational sand volleyball in the summertime. Sam is easy to find here at Wendling Orthodontics, just look for her red hair and smiling face!
Meet Kennedy. Kennedys bright smile has been a part of Wendling Orthodontics since 2017. She really enjoys working with patients one-on-one and building individual relationships with each one. Fun fact, she used to be a patient here, so her bright smile has the Wendling Orthodontics seal of approval! If you ever have questions about treatment, Kennedy is a great person to ask. Anything outdoors, she loves, including hunting and fishing with her fianc as well as traveling around the country and internationally. She adores being an aunt and wants kids of her own someday. Make sure to say hello to Kennedy in the clinic.
Meet Tara. Tara has been assisting since 2005 and has been a team member at Wendling Ortho since 2007. Tara is a multi-talented orthodontic assistant and enjoys working chair-side with patients but also is involved with orthodontic appliance fabrication in the lab. One of her favorite hobbies is horseback riding, so if you like to ride as well, let her know, she loves to bond with her horse loving patients! She also loves spending time with her family, her dogs, and gardening. Tara can be found in the clinic working with patients as well as our in-office lab making appliances.
Meet Michelle. Michelle has been a dental assistant since 1994 and has been working at Wendling Orthodontics since 1998. She enjoys interacting with kids at the office and has a great talent for remembering facts and details about her patients. She also enjoys seeing smiles transform from start to finish. She recently became a grandma for the first time, so if you want to see a big smile on her face, ask her about her adorable granddaughter! She is a huge animal lover and enjoys gardening and the outdoors. Feel free to say hi to Michelle at your next visit.
Meet Malisa. Malisa has been a dental assistant since 1993 and joined the Wendling Ortho team in 2005. Her favorite part of her job is seeing the confidence that increases with each individual patient when going through treatment. Malisa is quick to smile and quick to laugh and will make you feel instantly at ease. She enjoys anything outdoors, including horseback riding and gardening. She also enjoys sewing, makes amazing quilts, and loves spending time with her family and dog. She can be found working chair-side with patients in the clinic.
Meet Krista. Kristas love for dental hygiene started in 2004 and she has been with Wendling Ortho for 15 years. She really enjoys sharing in the joy of creating perfect smiles and takes pride in her role in improving the self-confidence of our patients. A busy mother of two, Krista enjoys the sunshine and channeling her inner Marie Kondo. She is a self-proclaimed Target Shopaholic and enjoys having her kids shop with her. You can find her working individually with patients in the clinic.
Meet Jaymee. A Wendling Orthodontics veteran of 6 years, Jaymee specializes in record coordination and guiding new patients at the start of their orthodontic journey. Her passion for the dental industry came from working as a receptionist and grew exponentially. She is married with a daughter (3 years old) and expecting her second baby soon, a boy! She loves crafting, Pinterest, her lab and being a mom. Jaymee can be found working in the clinic, one-on-one with patients.
Meet Sydni. Sydni has been one of the smiling members of Wendling Ortho since 2018. She is one of secret ingredients that makes our clinic run smoothly. Sydni loves kids and can connect with them very quickly. She has a very bubbly personality and is a master at making our younger patients feel at ease at their first visit. She is a new mom to a baby girl born in January and loves spending every minute she can with her. She has a love for animals, especially her dog. She is hard to miss here at Wendling Ortho, she always has a huge smile on her face.