Our Dental Implant Coordinators

LISA

A Nebraska native, Lisa is a proud Cornhusker and still enjoys visiting her extended family in the Midwest. She has been a part of COFS for about 15 years, with experience as a Patient Coordinator before being selected to work as an Implant Coordinator 11 years ago. She brings this wealth of implant experience to the implant treatment plans for each of the patients she works with. Lisa’s educational background in Early Childhood Education is evident in her quiet, patient demeanor and in her accomplished teaching abilities while thoroughly explaining the implant process and financial information to our patients.

For many years Lisa has been involved with COFS-sponsored Implant Study Clubs (seminars presented for dental professionals) by helping with the organization involved in hosting these conferences. Being a part of these sessions, Lisa has had the opportunity to build relationships with our patients’ general dentists. “One of the joys of my job is working with our fabulous referring dentists,” she notes.

“I really just think implants are the BEST replacement tooth option and wish everyone could be a good implant candidate. I like to tell patients when they are on the fence about the overall cost to break it down and look at it as ‘taking one step at a time’ and that there are several financial options available,” she states enthusiastically.

Lisa has volunteered her time at the Virginia Dental Society-sponsored MOM (Mission of Mercy Project) in Wise County, VA (Appalachian area), and she is an active member at her church, Grace Lutheran, where she has taught Sunday School and helped with the Altar Guild.

At the top of the list of Lisa’s favorite pastimes is spending time with her 2 children, Josh and Lindsey, both currently attending college. Shopping, hiking, and visits to a family retreat at Lake Gaston are also things she enjoys during her leisure time. She jokes that her favorite food group is chocolate!

Lisa sums up her thoughts on being an Implant Treatment Coordinator by stating simply, “I love working with patients one-on-one and being involved with their treatment planning!”

You can be personally guided through the implant process with Lisa’s help at our Patterson Avenue office.

MICHELLE

A native of Richmond and a graduate of Hermitage High School, Michelle brings 18 years of oral surgery experience at COFS, including work as both a Surgical Assistant and a Patient Coordinator, to her current role as an Implant Coordinator. She earned a certificate from the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Anesthesia Assistants Program having successfully completed coursework and an examination in the field of Dental Anesthesia Assisting.

Being involved in the development of the implant process at COFS, a position she has thrived in since 2008, has been her most rewarding and fulfilling. “Implants are the right fit for me. I enjoy giving patients their smile back!”

Michelle has also been a volunteer with the Virginia Dental Association’s Mission of Mercy (MOM) trips to the Appalachian area of Wise County, Virginia for many years. Another highlight of her volunteer experience was being a part of a dental team that worked in New Orleans following the Hurricane Katrina.

On a personal note, she and her husband love to travel. “Ask me where I am going next, and we’ll instantly have something to talk about!” She counts Yellowstone, Hawaii, Italy, and the Grand Canyon among her favorites. Michelle adds that in her travels she has become something of a “foodie.” She feels that a “food tour” is a great way to get to fully experience a new city. Michelle also describes herself an animal lover, and there is no doubt that her miniature pinscher, Emma, would vouch for that! Other hobbies include horseback riding and knitting.

Michelle quips that Dr. Miller would challenge patients to ask how old she is! (although we’re not sure she would give you an answer!)

Many prospective implant patients ask her, “If it were you, what would you do?” “For me, the answer is easy,” she says with no hesitation. “Have an implant! It is the best option available: better likelihood of long-term success; it’s the least invasive as far as preserving adjacent teeth; it helps preserve the jaw bone.”

Get to know Michelle as she personally guides you through the implant process at our Patterson Avenue office.

TONYA

Tonya’s enthusiasm for oral surgery is evident in the many hats she has worn within Commonwealth since her arrival here 18 years ago. Always looking to increase her professional knowledge and experience, she has successfully transitioned from her initial role as Patient Coordinator to the clinical side of COFS and now to Implant Coordinator. In each of her positions, she has brought her commitment, compassion, and her sense of humor–all of which come together to help her patients feel informed and well-cared for throughout their implant experience.

Although Chesterfield County born and raised and a graduate of Clover Hill High School, her team loyalties are now influenced by her Louisianan husband, Rick. “Geaux LSU Tigers and New Orleans Saints!” she declares proudly. “I have also discovered how much I enjoy Cajun food,” she adds.

Their blended family includes four daughters, two dogs, and one cat. “Spare time is a rare thing in our house, LOL,” she jokes. “But I do so enjoy spending time with my husband and all our kids.” Her hobbies include crocheting and crafting.

Tonya has volunteered her surgical assisting skills nearly a dozen times with the Mission of Mercy program in Wise County, VA, an underserved area in the heart of the Appalachians. She enjoys volunteering at her daughter’s school as well as her church’s CARITAS program and Mercy Mall. “I feel like whenever I can give back to the community and be a part of helping others it becomes a true blessing to me. It fills my heart with joy.”

“I am very excited about my position as an Implant Coordinator, being able to share my clinical knowledge to educate our patients from every angle of the implant process. I feel I am qualified from a personal point of view in that I have two implants myself. I like to see patients regain confidence in their smile and their health through implants. Implants are life-changing for so many people, and I get to be a part of that. What a blessing! All of our doctors are wonderful at COFS,” Tonya states. “You could not put your health and well-being in more reliable and capable hands.”

Tonya is at our Huguenot Road office, ready to help guide our patients through their implant process.

RACHAEL

Having worked as a dental assistant since 2005, first in pediatric dentistry and then in oral surgery, Rachael is intimately familiar with the implantation process. She holds certifications in CPR, Radiography, and Dental Anesthesia Assisting. With an enthusiastic smile, she explains her current role as an Implant Coordinator: “The implant process has a lot of pieces and parts; I’m that person who can put the clinical, clerical, and financial pieces together as I work with each patient on an individual basis.”

Rachael is one of 10 siblings who were all homeschooled. An adventurer, she has been skydiving three times! She also describes herself as a “foodie,” enjoying both cooking and eating at interesting restaurants where she has tasted both cow tongue and alligator. She’s also a sports enthusiast (she and her husband met playing softball) and in her free time they keep up with all Washington DC sports teams. They also play golf and like spending time with any kind of water-related recreation.

Rachael has volunteered multiple times in underserved areas through both the Give the Kids a Smile program and the Mission of Mercy (MOM). “The sincere thanks that people express for something that is done out of kindness fills you with such joy.”

She enthusiastically talks about her work with dental implants. “If your oral surgeon and dentist have determined that you are a good candidate for an implant, it is such a great option. I have seen hesitance, pain, and tears, but I have also seen those turn into gratefulness, smiles, and hugs.”

“We understand that this is a routine procedure for us,” she continues, “but not for our patients. There is a trust that is built with both our patients and referring doctors, and these relationships are just one of the reasons that this Practice has maintained its quality reputation over the decades. The doctors of COFS have such compassion and a love for what they do and truly care about each patient as if it is their family they are treating. I have entrusted them with my own family, including myself, and would do it again!

Implant patients will be guided through their implant process with Rachael at our Harbour Pointe office.

SALLY

With aging parents necessitating lots of visits and frequent frustrations in doctors’ offices, “I kept thinking, ‘I could do that job and do it better!’” So while exploring the COFS website when her daughter had her wisdom teeth removed at COFS nearly 6 years ago and seeing that there was a job opening, Sally applied. She is now proving that she can indeed do that type of job better! Sally has brought along her NC State Business Management degree (go Wolfpack!), years of customer service experience in the retail field, and her people-pleasing personality to her position as Implant Coordinator.

“I like people, enjoy hearing their stories, and getting to know them.” One of her patients appeared on the TV show “Treehouse Masters” and brought her a DVD of his episode; another was a published author who brought her signed copy of his book.

“As Implant Coordinator, I want to give our patients the best care possible. I’m the liaison between our surgeons, our patients, and our patient’s restorative dentist. I want each of my patients to know I will do everything I can to make the implant process as smooth as possible for them.”

Getting to know Sally is getting to know her family. She has three successful young-adult children of whom she is most proud. Add to that her husband of 32 years and a yellow lab named Biscuit. “My favorite time is time spent with my family.” They enjoy hiking together, going to their favorite beach in NC, and recently her kids have introduced them to the restaurant scene in Richmond.

Sally is a volunteer wedding coordinator for her church. “I am fully prepared for all contingencies. If anything goes wrong, I can fix it to make their wedding day as perfect as possible. I am able to remain calm and reassuring in stressful situations whether with brides or oral surgery patients!

“I love working at COFS. The doctors are all wonderful surgeons, so smart and kind. They genuinely care about each of their patients and are wonderful to their employees. I truly believe implants are the best choice in tooth replacement. I am excited to help them make informed decisions.”

Sally helps guide patients through their implant process at our Westerre office.