Meet our Team
Jacie
The first person you’re likely to meet when you visit our practice is our Receptionist and Hygiene Coordinator Jacie (pronounced “Jackie”), who moved to this area after living most of her life in Memphis. Jacie’s commitment to client care runs deep; she previously worked as a manager for one of Memphis’ most renowned restaurants, then with the Memphis Inter-Faith Association as the Client Intake Specialist for the Meals on Wheels program for 17 years. Jacie also loves to garden, read and hunt for bargains at local thrift stores.
Jacie has been with our practice since September, 2018.
Cristina
You may have spoken with Cristina, our Patient Care Coordinator, when you made your first appointment with us. Cristina welcomes new patients to the practice, reviews treatment plans with individuals to make sure they understand all aspects of their care, and coordinates treatment with other offices. She also keeps our website and social media sites current and manages inter-office communication. She was born and raised in Puerto Rico and is fluent in both English and Spanish. Cristina lives in Durham with her 2 children. She enjoys weekend trips to the beach and taking her two sons to UNC games and activities.
Cristina has been with our practice since July, 2022.
Chastity
Chastity is the newest member to our team and is the Patient Care Coordinator who manages our insurance and billing. Chastity works closely with patients to obtain predeterminations of benefits from their insurers as part of the treatment planning process. Additionally, she files all of the insurance claims on behalf of our patients post-treatment!
Chastity was born and raised in North Carolina and is a big Carolina Tar Heels fan. She lives in Hillsborough with her two daughters. She enjoys vacationing at White Lake, NC and taking weekend road trips to the beach or Asheville to visit with friends and family. When not traveling, she enjoys downtime at home with her girls and two cats.
Chastity has been with our practice since May, 2023.
Laura
Laura has worked in the hygiene field since 1995. She attended Pembroke State University and earned her dental hygiene degree from Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC. Laura enjoys the individualized care she is able to provide our patients as she and they together work to maintain optimum dental health. She enjoys traveling with her husband on her days away from the office and is also our unofficial Resident Disney Expert!
Laura has been with our practice since July, 2007.
Carla
Carla started working with us as one of our substitute hygienists and quickly became our “go-to” when Laura had the occasional day off. We’re so glad to have her as a permanent part of our team! Carla grew up near Elizabeth City and attended UNC-CH, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene. Over the years Carla has worked in various settings, from pediatric to general practice to prosthodontics. Carla is married and has 3 sons. When she is not working, she likes to go to estate sales and auctions and loves to travel.
Carla has been officially with our practice since September, 2016.
Mimi
Mimi is our Lead Dental Assistant, heading up our clinical team and working chairside with patients. She was born and raised in Puerto Rico and is fluent in both English and Spanish. She came to the mainland after graduating from high school and attended the UNC School of Dentistry, where she earned her diploma in Dental Assisting. Mimi worked for five years in the Prosthodontics Department at UNC, then joined our practice. She enjoys spending time with her husband, their sons and their extended family on weekends.
Mimi has been with our practice since April, 1999.
Cali
Cali wears two hats, as our Purchasing Agent as well as one of our great Dental Assistants. She’s a Healthcare Management Technology major at Pitt Community College and received her assisting certification from NC Dental U. She grew up in Massachusetts (bringing our Yankee Transplant count up to four) and is the oldest of five siblings. In her free time, she loves playing with her dog Bella..
Cali has been with our practice since July, 2021
Sebastian
We all appreciate Sebastian’s gentle disposition! He was born in Mexico, but grew up in the Charlotte area. He graduated from North Carolina State University with degree in Zoology, joined our team as a dental assistant, and his goal for the future is to become a dental hygienist! When not at work, he loves cooking new and exotic foods and working on art such as drawing and photography.
Sebastian has been with our practice since September, 2021.
Austin
Austin is our newest dental assistant. She is currently enrolled at Piedmont Community College part time and is hoping to one day become a Dental Hygienist.
She is an eighth-generation Durham Native! In her spare time she loves to ride horses, paint, and be surrounded by friends and family.
Austin has been with our practice since November, 2022.
Bernadette
Bernadette joined our practice as an Administrative Assistant new to dentistry, and quickly demonstrated her aptitude for working as a Dental Assistant. We shouldn’t have been surprised by this hidden talent, as she volunteered with a wild animal rescue site as a teenager and once assisted with oral surgery on a tiger! Bernadette capably assisted chairside for years, then began assisting in our on-site lab, and in January of 2019 became our lead Lab Technician. Apparently, there’s nothing she can’t do!
Bernadette has been with our practice since December, 2007.
Tonya
Tonya hails from Benson, NC and graduated UNC in 2023. She was with our practice last summer and has returned as a full-year intern!
In her free time, she enjoys going to Carolina sporting events, especially basketball games (Go Heels!). Her favorite memory at Carolina is rushing Franklin Street when UNC beat Duke in the Final Four. She also volunteers at the animal shelter where she socializes adoptable dogs.
Tonya has been with our practice since May, 2022.
Sandra
Sandra is our Office Manager and often works on projects behind the scenes, but you’ll see her throughout the office as well. Originally from Vermont, she’s another UNC grad – as they say, she wasn’t born in the South, but she got here as quick as she could! When she’s not coordinating trainings and events and pulling reports, Sandra enjoys visits with her grown children and grandbabies, and time at home with her husband, dog, and three (!) cats.
Sandra has been with our practice since May, 2007.