Organizational Unit: Dental Providers

As a dental student, I served a community rotation at Unity Care NW and knew after graduation I would return. The supportive staff and commitment to quality healthcare for our community are what keep me here.

I earned a BS degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology at Western Washington University in 1997 and a DDS degree from the University of Washington in 2001. I am a member of the Academy of General Dentistry and a former member of the National Health Services Corps. I am certified in ABCD Pediatric Dentistry and remain an affiliate faculty member of the UW Department of Pediatric Dentistry. I have served on the Education Committee of the Whatcom County Oral Health Coalition. I am fluent in Turkish.

Public health gives me the opportunity to reach out to my community and help those in need of quality and gentle dental care.

I earned my DDS from the National Autonomous University of Honduras in 1999. I went on to earn a MS in Pediatric Dentistry from the University of Barcelona in 2003 and completed the Post Graduate Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) Program at Lutheran Medical Center in 2014. I am fluent in Spanish.

I started at Unity Care NW as a dental hygienist in September 1998 after graduating with an AAS degree in Dental Hygiene from Lake Washington Technical College. My story really began in November 1995, when I came to work as a dental assistant part-time while preparing to go to dental hygiene school. My circumstance of needing a part-time position while attending college brought me to community health, where I discovered my passion wasn’t just working on people’s teeth, but in helping the overall health of the whole community.

I especially love working with children and young adults. In the past, I have gone to the elementary and middle schools where I worked with a dental assistant to apply sealants and fluoride.  During my years of working at UCNW, I have performed dental presentations to daycare and elementary school classes, dental hygiene classes, and WIC social workers. I really enjoy teaching teens and young adults to take ownership of their health, boosting their confidence, usually playing 70s and 80s tunes to create a more relaxing atmosphere.

When I work in the clinic, I utilize my dental hygiene skills, including traditional hygiene, anesthesia, and restorative. I love the opportunity to work with our entire dental team while trying to make the experience as fun and easy as possible!

I enjoy practicing yoga, gardening, learning about astrology and going to concerts with my hubby.