Dental Team – Carlsbad, CA

Kim,
Patient Coordinator

Kim’s goal is for our patients to see her as a friend in our office, so she is the person they can turn to if they have questions or are anxious about an upcoming procedure. She wants them to know what to expect so they can feel calm and cool going into any appointment.

Originally from Chicago, Kim comes from a very large family (she’s number four of eight children!), so a lot of her free time is dedicated to hanging out with her loved ones, including her two rescue dogs, Daisy and Oliver Queen. She also enjoys finding hidden gem restaurants and is a horror movie enthusiast. To stay active, she likes to hike and play soccer, plus she hopes to go surfing for the first time in the near future!

Liz,
Treatment Coordinator & Team Lead

Liz is the anchor of our dental team. She has over 5 years of experience in dentistry, and she chose this field based on a good experience she had with her dental assistant as a kid. Liz has advanced training in Invisalign, CEREC, iTero, and cone beam. Her passion for dentistry and the patients shows in her welcoming smile and knowledge of dental and complete health.

Liz was born and raised in Escondido. Outside of dentistry, she enjoys walking her dog, Zoey. Liz believes that “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step” – Lao Tzu. She applies this to all of her life pursuits. If you want to make Liz smile, treat her to a margarita or Starbucks.

Theola,
Financial Coordinator

Theola may be new to our team, but her career in the dental world impressively covers almost 30 years! She studied dentistry at Orange Coast College and Concorde College. Today, what she enjoys most about her position is getting to work closely with the other team members while also helping patients achieve healthier, happier smiles.

Away from work, Theola has three children and three grandchildren. Although the others live out of state, they’re still a close-knit family that all shares a love of football. In her free time, she enjoys riding her motorcycle up to Santa Barbara, going on weekend getaways, walking along the beach, and hiking with her Cane Corso Georgia

Charlotte,
Registered Dental Assistant

Charlotte’s career in the dental world covers well over 20 years so far, and she takes pride in providing great service to her valued patients while being as kind as possible. Originally from the Bay Area, she has also undergone additional training in CEREC technology.

At home, Charlotte spends plenty of quality time with her husband, son, and dog. In her spare time, you can often find her boating, hiking, fishing, or gardening.

Gisela,
Dental Assistant

Gisela studied dental assisting at Pima Medical Institute and also has advanced training in iTero scanning and CEREC. As one of our assistants, she loves creating a connection with patients over time! Helping them escape pain and live a happier life is so rewarding. In turn, they definitely like her goofy personality.

Gisela’s family of two is looking forward to welcoming a baby Pitbull in the near future! As for hobbies, she enjoys playing video games with her boyfriend and friends, exploring new restaurants and places around town, appreciating the outdoors, and going on road trips.

Melissa,
Registered Dental Assistant

Melissa has filled in for Dr. Shelton here and there over the last five years, and she’s thrilled to have just signed on to be one of our full-time employees! She loves that this dental office isn’t just about teeth – it’s about full health care. She always takes the time to educate patients on the importance of a healthy mouth while also keeping up to date on the newest findings in dentistry.

Outside of work, Melissa is close with her parents and two siblings. In addition to being a dental assistant, she loves teaching it too and has been doing so since 2017! As for personal hobbies, she’s a big movie buff (especially scary movies) and also enjoys riding her beach cruiser down by the ocean.

Theresa,
Registered Dental Hygienist

Theresa may be relatively new to our team, but she’s worked in the dental field for over 15 years so far. She loves being able to utilize state-of-the-art technology while also empowering patients each day by teaching them all about their oral/systemic health! She has trained at the Kois Center and is laser certified.

Theresa currently lives in Oceanside with her husband Danny, their cat Petunia, and their Mini Aussie Emmie. Outside of working hours, she enjoys looking for new adventures with Danny, whether that involves canyoning up a river in Jordan or swimming with whale sharks in the Philippines. Her own personal hobbies include hiking, stand up paddle boarding with her dog, running (so she can eat more tacos), reading, listening to audiobooks/podcasts, and making macrame projects. She loves the repetition of tying knots and making something beautiful!

Pavlina,
Registered Dental Hygienist

Pavlina’s career in the dental world spans over two full decades so far. She attended the Southwestern dental hygiene program and has undergone additional training with the Kois Center, Zimmer Dental Implants, and the California Implant Institute. As a dental hygienist, she works hard to empower her patients with knowledge. She is their trusted partner in combating periodontal infection and their cheerleader as they continue to stay healthy!

At home, Pavlina has a son named Winston, a husband named Paul, and three dogs named Pinot Noir, Kozmo, and Contessa. Outside of working hours, she loves traveling to spend summers in Europe, riding her bike, gardening, hosting parties, and cleaning/organizing.