Our Family Dental of Spokane Valley team works together like a well-oiled machine due to our shared commitment to provide the best service to our patients. And our staff is just the right size for covering the extended hours offered in our Spokane Valley, WA dentist office.
A registered dental hygienist, Mary graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1995 and has worked in our office for her entire dental career. She has received training in many of the technologies we use at Family Dental of Spokane Valley, including our digital X-ray machine, local anesthesia, 3D imaging, sedation, and dental lasers. She enjoys using those skills working with patients and building positive relationships with them. She attends dental conventions to stay current on dental trends. In her free time, you might find her hiking, running, and enjoying the beautiful scenery in the Spokane Valley, WA area, as well as spending time with family.
Our office manager has never met a problem she couldn’t handle, thanks to her education in so many of the aspects needed to keep a dental office running smoothly. Lara’s training covers insurance filing and billing, HIPAA, patient care, team building, workplace safety, communication, CPR, patient records, and first aid, among other areas. She has led our office for nearly three decades and loves meeting new patients. She wants every patient to leave the office with a smile. Prior to entering the dental field, Lara was a certified nursing assistant for five years. This makes her invaluable in assisting patients with special needs, such as those in wheelchairs. She and her husband, Bobby, enjoy motorcycle riding, boating, water skiing, and spending time with their two grown children and four grandchildren. She enjoys riding shotgun on the family 18-wheeler or helping out with mechanic tasks.
Michelle, a dental assistant, has been involved in dentistry for 20 years and at our office for 15 years. She has worked for many different dentists in different geographic areas, thanks to her husband’s career in the Air Force. Radiology, OSHA compliance, surgical assisting, dental materials, sterilization techniques, and interpersonal communication are among the areas in which she has received advanced training. She likes helping patients with dental anxiety relax and feel more comfortable. When she’s not at the office, she enjoys crafts, especially quilting, scrapbooking, and making cards. Other favorite activities include camping, reading, and family get-togethers.
A registered dental assistant who also helps out at our front desk, Meagan has worked with Dr. Ellsworth since 2015. She has taken advanced courses in insurance and clinical dentistry practices. Patient comfort and trust are her top priorities, and she likes knowing she contributes to our patients getting the best care possible. She treats everyone she meets like family. This is no surprise, given how important family is to her. She calls her toddler, Leo, the love of her life and enjoys seeing the world through his eyes. Her favorite off-duty experiences include barbecues with her siblings and their families and time spent on her parents’ houseboat on Lake Coeur d’Alene. She also enjoys attending country music concerts, riding her bike, and walking her dog.
A certified dental assistant, Janet has been involved with dentistry for 26 years, with 18 of those years at Family Dental of Spokane Valley. A graduate of Spokane Community College, she likes helping our patients relax and making them feel confident about their smiles. She participates in at least 10 hours of advanced training every year to keep up on the latest dental techniques. Like other members of our team, she especially values family time. She enjoys cooking for her three grown children and three grandchildren. She and her husband also love spending time on the water, a pastime shared by many of our patients in the Spokane Valley, WA area. And she likes to garden.
