A dental seminar speaker once told us to never hire someone we wouldn’t want as a member of our own family. Therefore, each person of our “extended work family” has been carefully selected not only for clinical competence and business expertise, but also for character traits such as integrity, compassion, and loyalty. As a result, we have a particularly long-term staff that is not typically found in a dental practice. In fact, they often joke that no one ever really “quits” our office, as past employees so often return. When you visit our office you will appreciate the warm and professional camaraderie among our team members.
Suzy Bigleman, R.D.H. Registered Dental Hygienist Suzy began working in our office in 2000, immediately after graduating from Lake Washington Technical School with an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Dental Hygiene. Her four years of prior experience as a Dental Assistant enhances Suzy’s abilities as an unusually strong team player in our office. She is an “easy keeper” and everyone loves working with her as she is always willing to take on any job or project, even if it is not her responsibility. Suzy is best known by her patients for her sweet nature, compassionate treatment, and gentle touch. Her goal is to help her patients achieve optimal oral health care through patient education. Suzy takes many Continuing Education classes each year to stay current in her field and she is a member of the Washington State Dental Hygiene Association.
Suzy and her husband, Bill, live in Duvall with a son and three daughters, where she also works with her husband in his contracting business. Her hobbies include traveling to sunny climates as often as possible and spending time with her family. On the weekends Suzy can be found at the racetracks cheering on her son in his motorcycle races, or at dance and gymnastics activities with her daughters.
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Kathy Amundsen, R.D.H. Registered Dental Hygienist Kathy attended Seattle University before earning her Associate of Arts Degree in Dental Hygiene from Shoreline Community College in 1981, where she also served as Class President. Kathy first began working in our office as a temp in 1992, and she currently splits her professional time between our office and Lake Washington Technical College where she is a Clinical Instructor for Dental Hygiene students. Kathy brings her innate love of teaching to discussions with her patients about their treatment needs and options. She especially likes using our intraoral camera and computer for patient demonstrations. Kathy also worked as a dental assistant prior to entering hygiene school, becoming a Certified Dental Assistant in 1974.
Kathy and her husband, Dan, live in Redmond and are enjoying the empty nest. They have two daughters and a son who are all busy pursuing college educations, so retirement is nowhere in sight yet! Kathy enjoys photography, Sudoku, gardening, volunteering at church, and quarterly “Supper Club” cooking events with her many sisters. One of the highlights of recent years for Kathy was her team involvement with a dental mission trip to El Salvador where she spent several weeks treating impoverished children and adult.
Faye Kirkendall, R.D.H. Registered Dental Hygienist Faye graduated from Idaho State University in 1984 with a B.S. Degree in Dental Hygiene. She began working in our office in 1991, commuting daily from Woodinville. Faye currently works with us only on Fridays as she devotes significant time to her professional activities. She serves on the Oral B Advisory Board, the Idaho State Advisory Board, and the Washington State Department of Health Dental Hygiene Committee. In addition, she is a member of the Western Regional Examining Board, where she is responsible for evaluating hygienists for their State Board Exams. Faye is deeply committed to her loyal patients with a focus on prevention, and she instills confidence in them with her professionalism, calm demeanor, and her gentle but thorough approach.
Faye’s time away from dentistry is spent skiing with her husband, as well as training and showing her horses. She owns White Horse Farm and three beautiful horses, which she shows all over the country. Her barn is filled with trophies and ribbons from years of excelling at the highest level. Faye and her husband also dote on their four-legged “kids”, Pearl and Wart, who are spunky Jack Russell Terriers!
Deanna Montgomery, R.D.H. Registered Dental Hygienist
Deanna first began working in our office about 15 years ago as a full-time Dental Assistant, until leaving to attend Lake Washington Technical College where she earned her Associates of Applied Science Degree in Dental Hygiene in 2005. She currently works with us some Fridays and Saturdays, and it always feels like “old home day” when she in the office. Deanna is known for her dedicated work ethic and wonderful sense of humor with infectious laugh, as well as being able to successfully “match wits” with Dr. Greg! Since she grew up in the Snoqualmie Valley, her familiar presence in our office is reassuring to patients. Deanna has a gentle, caring manner and is especially compassionate with fearful patients, spending extra time helping them become comfortable with dental care. Deanna is an active member of the American Dental Hygiene Association.
Deanna lives in Snoqualmie with her husband, Dave, and her cats who are the “kids” that she pampers. Her hobbies include gardening, fishing, and boating. She also enjoys cooking, and we look forward to the holidays when she shares her homemade raspberry jam, jars of homemade soup packets, and other tasty treats!
Kallin Baumann, R.D.A. Registered Dental Assistant Kallin is the most recent member to join our clinical team. She graduated from Lake Washington Technical College in 2007 with an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Assisting, where she was on the Dean’s List with a 3.8 G.P.A. She also had the distinction of being elected Class President by her classmates, and she now brings that same natural leadership to our office. Kallin’s co-workers love working with her, as she is a stellar team player with great organizational skills. She is not only outgoing with a warm, calm, and positive personality, but she also brings a wealth of relevant experience to our patients who are giving her rave reviews. She completed externships in children’s dentistry and surgery, was as a sign language interpreter for the Renton Schools, and worked as a nanny for three years. When she is not at our office, Kallin is busy hitting the books again, as she is currently taking Dental Hygiene pre-requisite classes to fulfill her dream of becoming a Hygienist.
Kallin lives in Woodinville with her family, and one of her great joys is helping take care of her newborn niece. In her spare time Kallin loves to ski and spend time with friends and family.
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Tami Canady, R.D.A. Registered Dental Assistant
Tami has the distinction of being our most senior team member with 25 years in our office! After three years of college and getting her Dental Assistant Certification from Bates Technical College, Tami started working with us in 1983 as a full-time dental assistant, just a couple of years after we started the practice. Tami has always been a “favorite” among patients with her reputation of a gentle, yet thorough, touch. She is a “people person”, and with her nurturing, warm personality she immediately puts the most apprehensive patient at ease. Although Tami has been working in Bellevue as a full-time Orthodontic Technician for several years, you can still find her in our office every Friday enjoying animated conversations with her patients to catch up on the local happenings!
Tami lives in Carnation with her husband, Kerry, and their two daughters who are almost grown. She was a Girl Scout leader for nine years, receiving the “Outstanding Leader” Award and a Leadership Development Pin. Her favorite activity is spending quality time with family and friends. Tami has especially enjoyed hosting Australian exchange students for several years, which has provided a unique cross-cultural learning opportunity for the entire family.
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Katie Gorton, R.D.A. Registered Dental Assistant/Hygiene Student
Katie is currently a Dental Hygiene student at Lake Washington Technical College where she will graduate in 2009 with her Associates of Applied Arts & Sciences Degree in Dental Hygiene. Katie attended Seattle Pacific University for three years after graduating from Mount Si. She began working in our office five years ago and she continues to work as often as her rigorous academics allow. Katie is the “sunshine” of our office, and radiates her positive, upbeat demeanor to everyone she meets. Her favorite challenge is “to introduce young children to the exciting world of dentistry”.
Katie has a passion to educate and treat underserved people around the world. In 2006 she traveled with Smile Power Foundation to Bolivia where she provided dental treatment and education to hundreds of people in remote villages and orphanages. She has also led church youth group mission trips to Mexico and Los Angeles. Katie is currently living in her Kirkland condo close to her college. She attends The City Church in Kirkland and her faith is the most important aspect of her life. She also enjoys piano, drawing, singing, snowboarding, hiking, fishing, and camping and riding horses with her family.
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Brittney Canady, R.D.A. Registered Dental Assistant
Brittney graduated from Cedarcrest High School in 2007 and is currently enrolled at BCC, where she is taking prerequisites for her goal of becoming a Dental Hygienist. Brittney has worked in our office since her senior year of high school as a Dental Assistant Intern. Her mentor is her own mom, Tami, who has been a dental assistant with us since 1983. They make a wonderful mother-daughter team and Tami is having a ball teaching her all about the profession. Rumor has it that their evenings at home are often dental “show and tell”! In our office Brittney spends much of her time in our sterilization lab where she is fastidious in following OSHA guidelines for infection control. Brittney is an eager learner and a good listener. She takes her work seriously and she is always anxious to please her coworkers and her patients. Brittney has impressed us with her instant rapport with children who love her perennial, bright smile and gentle nature, and we are particularly proud of her meticulous dental hygiene cleanings on her child patients. When she’s not working or studying, Brittney enjoys piano, baking, walking, hiking, and learning.
Belinda Cummins, R.D.A. Registered Dental Assistant Belinda has been in our office since 2000, when we finally enticed her to leave a temporary placement service. As she is exceptionally talented in both her clinical skills and professional judgment, Belinda quickly became the doctors’ “right hand” in helping with the most difficult procedures and patients. She is also gifted in working with patients with special needs, applying her own experiences with two autistic sons to benefit her patients. Her calm, confident manner and her wonderful sense of humor work wonders with our more challenging young ones. After 17 years in the profession, Belinda still thoroughly enjoys her work and she finds it most rewarding to get to know her patients on a personal level.
Belinda lives in Maple Valley with her husband, Chris, and two sons. They also have an older daughter who has followed in her mother’s footsteps by becoming a dental assistant. Belinda’s priorities include “family first”, and boating, skiing, camping, and traveling, especially to New Zealand where she lived until a teenager. She is passionate about Continuing Education for Autism research and participating in the Special Olympics with her sons. She is also active in the Scottish Pipe Bands.
Linda Russell, C.D.A. Office Manager Linda has been an invaluable member of our team since 1984. With prior experience as a Certified Dental Assistant, she brought a wealth of clinical expertise to her position as Office Manager. Linda credits her knowledge of dentistry with helping her understand patient concerns, properly scheduling appointments, and working with insurance to maximize benefits for her patients. She is known for solving difficult insurance issues when others have been unsuccessful. Linda has been diligent about keeping up with recent changes in the field, and she is often acknowledged in training courses as being more advanced than other dental staff. Linda’s deep loyalty and unwavering support for others has earned her the respect of coworkers and patients, who appreciate her effective communication that is often mixed with witty, “red-headed” humor! Linda has loved watching our patients’ families grow up who then bring their own children to us, as it makes her feel like part of an extended family and shows the comfort and confidence they have in us.
Linda lives in Monroe, but raised two children in the Snoqualmie Valley. Her favorite activity is being “Nana” to three grandsons and relaxing in her cabin near Leavenworth with four-legged kids, Mickey and Lilly
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Linda Lee Stevens Business Assistant
Linda Lee came to work with us in 1995. Her background included six years with Boeing in Human Resources prior to starting her family, owning and managing a construction company, and completing the ITT Executive Secretarial Program. Although she had no dental experience we persuaded her to join our team, as we knew she was the “right kind of person”. During her first six months she also attended Lake Washington Technical College where she completed the Dental Office Management Course. Patients love her smiling face, genuine charm, and caring nature that exude compassion. Linda Lee is exceptional in her communications to patients and understanding their needs, and she never fails to go the extra mile for them. She has recently come back to work part-time after being gone for over a year. During that time she completed Washington State Real Estate Fundamentals through the Rockwell Institute, and with her husband, Jim, opened RiverView Realty in Fall City where she currently spends most of her time.
Linda Lee and Jim are actively involved in the Fall City community where they have strong family ties, and with five children they are regulars at school, church, sporting, and community events. Linda Lee also enjoys singing in her church choir and relaxing with English Setter, Milo.
Sara, R.D.A. Registered Dental Assistant/Office Assistant Sara, our student Office Assistant, attends Mount Si High School and has aspirations to become a Dental Hygienist. As a member of Katie’s church youth group she became enamored with Katie’s stories of working in our office, and she finally convinced us to hire her! We are lucky that her persistence paid off as she is enormously talented, so we have given her an unusual amount of responsibility for her age. She is often the cheerful voice greeting patients on the phone and she also makes many of the courtesy calls to patients when they are due for appointments. Sara assists with patient accounts and even capably handles the front desk by herself when Linda is not available. Everyone loves working with Sara as she is a self-starting “go getter” who will expend endless energy to assist patients or team members. Sara can hardly wait until her 18th birthday when she can start assisting with clinical work!
In 2006 Sara participated in the Miss Teen Washington competition where she received a Service and Achievement Award. She likes to stay physically fit especially with weight lifting, and she also loves being involved with her friends and church.
