Meet Our Seattle Team
Our Front Desk
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Sarah Masuo - Patient Care Coordinator
BIO COMING SOON!
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Lisa Hamilton - Office Manager
Before dentistry, I owned a small catering company. I did all the planning, cooking, etc. but then moved over into the dental field. I have been in the industry for over 20 years, originally starting in orthodontics then moving to the dental front desk.
I didn’t choose dentistry; it chose me! The first orthodontist I worked for met me as I was waiting on his table. After chatting with me, he suggested I apply for a job at his office. Since then, I’ve enjoyed working in dentistry and love to connect with our patients. I get to work with an amazing team, dentists, and my role models each day.
When not caring for our front desk, I enjoy spending time reading, cooking, going to museums, and spending time with my friends and family.
Our Dental Assistants
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Karen Tinker - Expanded Functions Dental Auxiliary
I am a mother of two children, Courtney and Eain. I also have four grandchildren, Alex, Jade, Christian, and Violet. I spend the majority of time with my boyfriend, Joe. We love to travel.
As an Expanded Functions Dental Auxiliary (EFDA), I am the one who will take your impressions. I have more than 25 years of dental experience since graduating from Spokane Community College with a certificate in Dental Assisting. In 2016, I returned to school to train for my EFDA license, and since receiving my license, I have worked with all of our dentists.
I love all of the assisting team here at Ballard Dental Arts and enjoy working with our expert dentists too. I really enjoy being creative and restoring teeth to their optimal state. But my favorite thing is to catch up with my patients and chat about their lives. As a positive and fun person, I love to build strong relationships and help patients enjoy their visit.
Away from the office, I enjoy hiking, exercise, traveling, and spending time with my wonderful family. My kids and my grandkids are my inspiration as I see them overcome their own challenges every day.
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Annie Jensen - Lead Dental Assistant
I was born and raised in Lacey, WA and have been the in the dental field for over 10 years. I joined Ballard Dental Arts in 2016. I always wanted to work in the health field but knew I could not handle working on people’s broken body parts. I’d rather help them maintain their health, so dentistry seemed like a good fit.
I love the variety of people I get to meet and do my best to make all patients feel comfortable.
When not in the office, I like to go for summer hikes with my girlfriends and I am a really big foodie. I also have a large family, so I spend a lot of time with them. One day I hope to go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights.
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Oriana Campero
I was born and raised in Venezuela and studied dentistry from 2011-2014. I chose dentistry to help educate patients and change their smiles.
I really enjoy interacting with my patients and strive to offer breathtaking patient care. I have spent some time having those who don’t have the resources to afford dentistry and do my best to make their visits an enjoyable experience.
Away from the office, I enjoy Latino music, dancing, and spending time with my family.
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Melissa Gusaas
I have been a dental assistant since 1999 and originally started in Endodontics, which I did for more than 18 years. After a while, I realized I wanted something more and found the MOST awesome place, Ballard Dental Arts!
I actually first became interested in dentistry when I had my wisdom teeth pulled at 19 years of age. I was fascinated with what the assistants were able to do, and the rest is history.
As an assistant, I get to work with amazing people and have found the saying, “your environment makes you” to be extremely true. The people around me constantly make me better and provide the best support.
I try to pass this onto our patients through empathy and make it a goal to make your experience the best possible.
Outside the office, I spend lots of time with my family and enjoy life. I hope to one day go to Hawaii; it’s my dream!
Our Dental Hygienists
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Siri Carlson - Dental Hygienist
I grew up not too far Ballard in Tacoma and have two older brothers, so I am familiar with rough and tumble. This led me to pursue athletics (swimming, water polo, rowing, and anything outdoors) and I was previously a personal trainer. My most favorite things include coffee, puns, and floss (duh!).
I chose dentistry because I have always been passionate about health, wellness, and service. I had a lot of orthodontics as a kid and was lucky enough to love going to the dentist. I want my patients to have the same positive experience (without the headgear, of course).
The best part of my job is the people I work with. I am excited to come to work every day, even MONDAYS! The staff at Ballard Dental Arts is on a mission to provide the best, most compassionate care to each patient and that is something I truly strive for.
Away from work, I live to enjoy the outdoors. I go mountain biking, snowboarding, skiing, hiking, running, mountaineering, and anything to get out of my comfort zone.
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Virginia DiCecco - Dental Hygienist
My husband Mike and I have three children and five grandchildren. We own a Plant Nursery in Edgewood, WA, where we are continually working to grow our business.
I am originally from Massachusetts but moved to the west coast in 1979, which is when I began my dental career as a receptionist and then assistant. I moved to Seattle in 1983 and graduated from Shoreline Community College in Dental Hygiene in 1998.
I absolutely love my position as a dental hygienist because I get to educate patients and help them achieve good health. I feel so close to my patients and love to hear about their lives and have bonded with so many. I also love working at Ballard Dental Arts with all our quality team. We have a great, supportive team, and I feel fortunate to be working with them.
Working in the dental field is so rewarding because I can educate the patient about the importance of good oral care and see the effects of their good work with subsequent dental visits. I love meeting new patients, and they quickly start to feel like family.
Outside of the office, I do Bikram Yoga, enjoy gardening, and love to travel. I hope to visit Ireland one day.
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Lea Jones - Dental Hygienist
I was born and raised in Vashon Island, WA and moved to Seattle over seven years ago. I currently live in Mill Creek with my husband and our two daughters. Although I’m an island girl at heart, I have grown to love the city too.
From as young as 12 years old, I know I wanted to help people and be able to give back to the community. I have always enjoyed science, and it was a visit from a dental hygienist in my seventh-grade science class that piqued my interest in dentistry.
Since graduating from Shoreline Community College in Dental Hygiene, I have loved helping to make a difference in people’s lives. It’s the best when you can help someone achieve confidence and a smile they have always wanted.
When outside of the office, you can find me running, doing hot yoga, or spending time with my family. Although I love being active, you can find me enjoying movies and some downtime while eating delicious food.
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Jenni Quick - Dental Hygienist
I always wanted to be in healthcare as many of my relatives are in this particular field. Dentistry just made sense to me due to the close connection between oral health and your overall well-being. I have spent my entire professional career in dentistry and have worked in many offices in the Seattle area.
I always enjoy helping make each patient’s visit comfortable and less scary. I enjoy talking to patients about the oral-systemic link and how we can benefit their overall health. Seeing patients thrive and getting to know them as real people is truly rewarding.
Away from dentistry, I enjoy spending time with my family, like to travel, go on hikes, and anything outdoors. In fact, an item on my bucket list is to climb and survive Mt. Rainier!
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Linhphuong Tran - Dental Hygienist
I live in Forest Park with my husband and daughter. I really enjoy living near Seattle and the various seasons it has. I obtained an Associate Degree from North Seattle Community College in 2006 and graduated the Dental Hygiene Program in Seattle Central Community College in 2008.
I chose dentistry because I have a lot of siblings in the medical field and wanted to explore something new in healthcare. I found dentistry and love to help people save their teeth. In fact, the best part of my job is helping patients change their dental health for the better through improvements over time.
Outside of the office, I love yoga, biking, swimming, and eating Asian food. I also like cooking and preparing yummy homemade lunches in the morning.
