OUR TEAM
Tia Meyer, RDH & Clinical Director
Tia Meyer began her career in dental back in 2007. She started through the Southeast Dental Assistant Program and worked as a dental assistant until 2012. She then decided to further her career in dental hygiene at the University of South Dakota. She graduated with her Bachelors Degree in May of 2014. She practiced full time for 3 years as a RDH is now a Clinical Director for 12 dental clinics. Her passion has always been in dentistry as well as education. Her goal is to advance and impact teams with each and every topic with continuing education! She is currently President for the SDDHA and will serve 2020/2021 as President/Past President.
Hannah Johnson, Marketing Director
Hannah Johnson has been in the marketing field for the last 4 years and works as Director of Marketing. She oversees 12 clinics and all of their marketing initiatives. Hannah has a strong knowledge of both digital and traditional avenues, as well as strategy, budgets, data analysis, reporting, graphic design, social media, and SEO, to name a few. She works closely with the marketing team to create, execute and follow-up with strategic marketing strategies to gain new patients and obtain existing ones. Hannah has found that while it is up to a marketing strategy to get leads, it is up to the staff at the clinic to convert the leads into new patients. She works closely with the phone coaching coordinator and administrative director to develop continuing education to make staff more confident on the phone, resulting in appointments being scheduled.
Ashlyn Hodak, Marketing Coordinator
Ashlyn is a graduate of the University of Sioux Falls with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Media Studies. She is passionate about being up-to-date with all new digital trends and is skilled in organic and paid social media, email marketing, and graphic design. Her skills are used as the Marketing Coordinator for 12 dental clinics. Ashlyn works closely with Hannah Johnson to create effective marketing strategies to increase new patient numbers for all 12 clinics. She believes successful marketing puts patient relationships first and strives to find creative ways to do so.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Mary Barlow
Mary currently works as a Key Account Specialist for GC America, supporting group dental practices in the Midwest region. Mary has a passion for partnerships with dental group practices, focused on operational, clinical and strategic collaboration, exceptional customer care and continuing education. She takes great pride in the capacity to offer solution - based dentistry options to her customers, while also working closely with them to enhance the patient standard of care, and to increase efficiencies and production in their offices.
Having worked in sales and training in the dental industry for more than 16 years, Mary enthusiastically embraces opportunities to support dental professionals in making a difference in their day to day operations, as well as in the lives of their patients. Now more than ever, her belief in continuing education and the ability of dental teams to learn together, to explore new opportunities and embrace change, will be incredibly important to their working well together in the days ahead.
Cara Penner
Cara Penner, RDH is proud to say she has been in the dental field for 36 years. After graduating from Indiana University- South Bend Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene programs, she practiced as an RDH for 13 years. Many of those years in the clinical field were spent doing temporary placement positions which allowed for working in over 130 different dental offices. This wide variety of practice types and philosophies nurtured a desire to learn about different products and treatment philosophies.
The past 20 years have been in dental sales and GC America has been home for 13 years. Merging her clinical knowledge and the vast sales side of the business has led to a passion for the geriatric and decay-prone population. She hopes to spend the rest of her career educating the dental professional about different treatment modalities for different populations, as not all mouths are created equal.
Becky Horst, RDH, BA
Becky Horst, RDH, BA is a Professional Education Manager for Colgate Oral Pharmaceutical for the South territory. Becky provides scientific evidence and product presentations to dental students, dental hygiene students, and faculty of dental and dental hygiene learning institutions. She is passionate about educating students and clinicians to enhance the care and health of their patients. Becky hopes to educate as well as to inspire students to love the field of dentistry as she does.
Becky worked as a dental hygienist for 10 years in general practice and periodontal offices in Pennsylvania. Prior to her role with Colgate, she worked with a leading instrument manufacturer and consulted with dental school and dental hygiene faculty regarding the curriculum of power and hand instrumentation. She presented numerous educational programs to students, residents, faculty, and staff about biofilm removal, instrument maintenance, and instrument sharpening to help shape the future clinicians of tomorrow.
She received her BA degree from the University of Pittsburgh and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine, Dental Hygiene program. She is a member of American Dental Educators Association and American Dental Hygiene Association.
Marti Santizo, RDH, MBA
Marti Santizo, RDH, MBA is a Professional Education Manager for Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals covering the Western United States. She joined Colgate following a diverse career as a private practice clinical hygienist, a corporate regional manager, and a dental hygiene program director.
Marti graduated from the University of Louisville, School of Dental Hygiene with her Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene. She received her Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix. Marti has over 25 years of experience in private practice; 17 years were spent working with Dr. Gordon Christensen, where she sat on the board of Clinicians Report (CR, formerly known as CRA).
Marti is an active member of ADEA and ADHA. She has served on the Utah Oral Health Coalition, Utah Dental Hygiene Educators’ Consortium, the Board of Directors for Clinicians Report (CR Foundation), and the Ethics Committee for the Utah Board of Dentists and Dental Hygienists. As both a Corporate Regional Manager and Dental Hygiene Program Director, she has educated dental hygiene students, territory oral care consultants, and practicing dental professionals on best products and practice techniques. Her ability to speak Spanish has been utilized to help with the translation of educational media, and improve patient communication both in the operatory and in her humanitarian efforts in Latin America.
Whitney Howerton, RDH, MDH
Whitney Howerton is the Clinical Education Manager for Young Innovations, Inc. Whitney has shown her dedication to the dental hygiene profession through multiple leadership roles on a local, state, and national level. She completed her Masters in Dental Hygiene from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Whitney worked full time as a clinical and didactic instructor teaching a wide variety of courses including local anesthesia, head, neck and dental anatomy, special patient care, and advanced instrumentation. Whitney has been featured in familiar dental hygiene publications like Access and Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. She is a past recipient of the Esther Wilkins Future Leader award and a proud member of the ADHA and ADEA.
Betsy Hiatt, RDH
Betsy Hiatt is a Registered Dental Hygienist with over 15 years of experience in the Dental Field. She received her Dental Assisting Diploma at Herzing College later-on completing her AAS Dental Hygiene Degree (Lake Superior College Duluth, MN) and Bachelors of Science in Dental Hygiene at Mankato State University, MN. She’s developed clinical protocols, clinical training processes and Continuing Education (CE) programs for a National Direct Service Organization and its affiliates. Betsy has held numerous leadership positions. She is an active member of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), Past President and Vice President of the Minnesota Dental Hygiene Association (MNDHA) and participates as a Clinical Advisor for Implant Direct. As Clinical Success Manager, she provides education and support to Dental Practices looking to implement and grow the Dental Implant procedure within the practice.
Brent J. Henriksen, DDS, MD, FACS
Brent Henriksen, DDS, MD, graduated from Arlington, South Dakota in 1994. He then received his Bachelor of Arts from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD. He attended the University of Nebraska College of Dentistry and was inducted into the elite Omicron Kappa Epsilon Society. Upon receiving his DDS, Dr. Henriksen completed the University of Nebraska Medical Center Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency program. During that time, he attended the University of Nebraska Medical School, earned his MD, and completed a one-year general surgery internship. During his residency, he also served as staff at the Creighton Dental School in the department of oral surgery.
Dr. Henriksen is board certified and a Diplomate in the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He is a member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Dental Association, the South Dakota Dental Association, and the Southeastern District Dental Association. Dr. Henriksen performs surgery at River Ridge Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Center, as well as Sanford and McKennan Avera Hospitals.
Shari Love
Shari Love is the Nebraska Regional Director for 2 dental clinics- one in Omaha and one in Lincoln. She comes with 6 years of front office and phone experience. After learning the "trade," Shari has put her own spin on things and uses tools to help schedule new patients in an easier, more efficient way. She came from a dental office that saw 200 new patients a month. "This method works if you believe in it!"
Andrew Boyd, DDS
Dr. Andrew A. Boyd was born and raised in Mitchell, SD. After high school, he attended the University of South Dakota where he graduated with a BS degree in Biology. He later attended Midwestern University, where he earned a MA in biomedical sciences before matriculating into dental school. He then earned his DMD from Midwestern University in Glendale, AZ in 2017.
Dr. Boyd has been living and practicing in Sioux Falls at Neighborhood Dental East 26 since graduation. His wife Kyla is also a dentist and together, they have three children.
As a dentist, Dr. Boyd practices all aspects of general dentistry and has taken considerable continuing education in implant placement and restoration, as well as CAD/CAM same-day digital dentistry.
His hands-on approach and desire to help those in pain has spurred him on to pursue the latest techniques and dental technology.
Away from the office, Dr. Boyd and his family enjoy spending time outdoors together. He also likes hunting, golfing, and traveling.