Lea - Registered Dental Hygienist & Office Manager

Have you ever felt embarrassed or guilty when you have been to a dental office to have your teeth cleaned? I have! This is one reason I began my career in dental hygiene.


When I was a teenager growing up in North Dakota, I had my first professional teeth cleaning with a dental hygienist. She exclaimed in an alarmed tone, “Don’t you ever floss your teeth? Look at all this tarter.” I was mortified and much too embarrassed to ask how to floss? No one had ever taught me how.


Fast forward to present day. I have had the sincere pleasure to be a part of Dr. Holm’s dental practice for 18 years as a dental hygienist and care coordinator. By helping patients maintain healthy mouths, I have not only increased their life expectancy, but also helped them control other systemic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Wow, that makes me feel so proud to have positively touched so many lives! And, by the way, I try never to lecture anyone about flossing. I remember how that feels!


I received my dental hygiene degree from Normandale Community College along with a special award, the golden scaler (this is recognition for excellent clinical skills as a hygienist). I also have an education degree from the College of St. Catherine.


My favorite part of working in the dental field is meeting and developing relationships with our patients. I specifically choose to continue to work with Dr. Holm because she values every patient and provides the highest quality of dental care.


When I am away from the dental office, I like to spend time with my two dogs, Elsa, a posh sheltie, and Sam, a friendly American bulldog. We like to walk around the lakes, rain or shine. My other passions include gardening, reading, painting, cross country skiing and hiking. Dr. Holm taught me everything I know about cross country skiing, even how to wax my own skis. I am truly blessed to be part of this team!
 

Leslie - Registered Dental Assistant

I'm a dental assistant who has worked closely with several top dentists in Minnesota helping patients like you since 2001. You can call me a "Personal Attendant."

My experience with dentistry goes back since the mid 90's when I was training to become a dentist in Colombia until a love story brought me here to MN, continuing in the pursuit of this people-oriented career, I studied at Dakota County Technical College at the dental assistant program.

One of the things that I like about Dr Holm in my experience is her honest opinion about your dental situation, her commitment to offer you the best of her knowledge and her encouragement to be the best you can be.

People do not want teeth: They want what they can enjoy with teeth.
I believe that your mouth and teeth are in your head for you to enjoy life with them, more specifically for what you can accomplish with them: Smiling for that picture, savoring that scrumptious piece of chocolate, talking to your best friend, singing your favorite tune or kissing your pet.

Coming to the dentist it's just a little part of your journey in life. So my motivation is to help you in any way I can to make your life easier when you come to see us and I know for a fact that it is the same motivation that everyone else in this office have.

I like that I get to help people feel safe when you they are at a very vulnerable place. I have been there many times! When I first came here to the States almost 10 years ago, I remember being so overwhelmed with so many choices, a new language that I understood only partially, 100% new weather, new everything it seemed. Fortunately I found people who showed me the ropes, accepted me and helped me without judging me.

Even people that have anxiety like me and thought that it was impossible to ever come to the dentist have had great experiences when it comes to their dental care here! (I experience "Driving to Minneapolis" anxiety).

I have assisted many patients like you that need conservative partial Crowns (CEREC), full Crowns (caps), Bridges, Implants, Veneers, Sealants, Whitening, Night guards, Teeth cleaning or oral cancer screenings or that have problems with their bite or TMJ. One of the most rewarding things that I get to see is when you take a deep breath at the end of the appointment proud of yourself because you did it!

We have helped patients from pretty much all over the Twin cities: Burnsville, Eagan, Apple Valley, Savage, Rosemount Minneapolis and St Paul area, Bloomington, some even drive down from South Dakota, Wisconsin or Forest Lake!

When I'm not dental assisting, I enjoy time with my family and friends, reading like a nerd, Pilates, talking to God, writing, trying new recipes, I love eating Crunch chocolate bars, plantains and real vanilla ice cream. I also enjoy blogging and have my own blog at http://realtooth.blogspot.com.

Tari - Registered Dental Assistant 

Katie Hanson - Registered Dental Hygienist

Since I was fifteen years old, I knew I wanted to be a dental hygienist. I have always wanted to help people and the dental office is the perfect place to do this. There is a negative stigma at dental offices and I want to change that. My goal with every patient is to make their trip to the dentist comfortable and enjoyable.

I have been a dental hygienist since 2002. For five years, I worked for a Periodontist (gum specialist). Patients come to see a Periodontist because they have been referred to one by their general dentist. When I cleaned patient’s teeth there, they would commonly ask the following questions:

• Why did this happen to me?
• Why are my gums infected?
• Why might they lose their teeth?

Most people don’t even know they have the disease until it’s too late.

I’m passionate about giving my patients the best care possible and diagnosing periodontal disease before it’s too late. Dr. Holm’s office is the perfect place for me to accomplish this. At Dr. Holm’s office, the goal of the entire office is to catch periodontal disease and treat it before it’s too late. At every appointment, we check our patient’s gums in order to stay ahead of any problems. I am very happy our patients can benefit from such great care.

In my spare time I have been having a lot of fun getting to know this great city. I just moved here in September, 2009 and I love going to shows, seeing live music and meeting great new people. I live very close to 3 lakes and I like to run around them or just take a casual walk with a friend. I look forward to having a lot of fun in Minneapolis.