Specialty: General practice, restorative dentistry
Education: Dental school, University of the Pacific, 1996; post-graduate continuums, Seattle Institute for Advanced Dental Education and the Kois Center, ongoing
Years in practice: 11
Hometown: Mesa

When did you first become interested in dentistry?
“My interest first started when I was 13 years old. I was in a waterskiing accident when I fractured one of my front teeth. I was fascinated by the whole dental environment, and fascinated by the art and science of dentistry. That’s where my early interest was piqued.”

If we asked your patients to describe their experience with you, what do you think they would say?
“It really starts with an awesome staff. We have a current, if you will, in our office to treat people the way you want to be treated. Dentistry has gone from the ‘drill and fill’ mentality to literally changing lives. Patients’ lives are changed because we change their smiles (and) improve their self-esteem. We get hugs, we get tears, and that’s one of the most satisfying things about this job.”

What’s the biggest piece of advice you would give to patients?
“Don’t let insurance companies dictate your care, because your insurance company never examines your mouth. Insurance is a method of payment, not a method of treatment. Your decision on care should be between you and your dentist. Your dentist’s responsibility is to make you aware of the condition of your mouth, what it means to have that condition and what treatments are available. Then the patient can make an informed decision based on what’s best for them.”

Why do you think you were selected as a Top Dentist?
“I got lucky, I guess. There’s a lot of outstanding dentists in our community that are providing excellent care and really doing a good job. Arizona has some of the most well known dentists right in the Valley. I (feel) honored.”

How do you avoid the “trip to the dentist” stigma?
“We work hard to provide a five-star experience for our patients. Every morning we have a team huddle to plan out the day and see if our patients have any special needs.… Additionally, we try to offer a spa-like experience to help our patients relax. We have paraffin wax treatments, an electric foot massage, movie glasses (and) hot steamed towels. We bake chocolate-chip cookies that we give out.”

Cookies? Isn’t that a little counterintuitive for a dentist?
(Laughing) “That’s come up before. Some patients have joked, ‘Are you trying to keep yourself in business?’ The truth is, we all eat sweets. It’s not going to hurt you as long as you do it occasionally. We might tell a patient, ‘Make sure you brush afterward.’ But what I’ve found is some patients are just more susceptible to cavities than others.  So we don’t feel too guilty giving out cookies, because people don’t have to eat them if they don’t want to.”