We think it says a lot that most of our team has been with us for an average of seven years. The experience and training among our staff should assure you that you can trust us and have confidence in your dental experience. First and foremost, we listen to our patient’s concerns and then make the recommendations that best meet your overall goals and good health.

We owe dental assistant, Suzie Miller, our deepest appreciation for her commitment to our group since her commute from Godley, Texas is almost an hour and a half away. Our patients have enjoyed Suzie’s presence for over six years. After growing up in Grand Prairie, she met and married her husband, Chris, and together they are raising two future rodeo champions, Codey, who is 8 years old as well as 2 year old Tyler and sweet baby girl, Calli. The family is very involved with the Ellis County Cowboy Church and enjoys their time together with their horse and two dogs.

Suzie is licensed by the Texas State of Dental Examiners as a dental assistant, with certification
in both nitrous oxide monitoring and radiography (x-ray) procedures. She is also CPR certified. Suzie’s dedication and commitment to our goal to be the best is unparalleled and she will continue to be a leader amongst her peers as a dental professional.

Our lone Sooner and office manager, Janice Davis, grew up in Ardmore, Oklahoma. She is a proud mom of three children and seven grandchildren. Retired from Amercian Airlines, her husband, Dave enjoys traveling with Janice in between visits to see their grandchildren. She is very involved with church activities and has a passion for gardening.

Before her promotion to office manager, Janice was our dental hygienist for over ten years. She continues to hold her license in dental hygiene and is certified in nitrous oxide monitoring, radiography (x-ray) procedure and CPR.

With over 27 years as a dental hygienist, Janice was a natural fit for our office manager. Over the years, she has witnessed,
first hand, many of the new technological developments available to dental patients. Along with her hands-on experience,
she is well equipped to consult and educate patients on the best treatment options available.

Our appointment manager, Sonya West, was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. She moved to Bedford when she was 16 years old and graduated from L. D. Bell High School. Currently she lives in Burleson with her husband Jerry and their “children”…six dogs and 8 bunny rabbits! She’s also a big sports fan and enjoys scrap-booking, singing, and keeping up with
her animals.

Prior to her employment with our office, Sonya was a long-time patient. Ten years after the fact, all of our patients still look forward to her smile and greeting. She is the heartbeat of our operation as her expertise in coordinating multiple schedules for our doctors and hygienists
is invaluable.

Dental assistant, Shari McKinzie, is a native of Fort Worth. She graduated from Brewer High School and then received her training in dental assisting prior to joining our team in 2005. She spends her spare time enjoying rodeos, going out dancing, and watching scary movies with her two housemates…her two cats!

Shari is a licensed dental assistant by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners and is certified for nitrous oxide monitoring, radiography (x-rays) procedure and CPR. She is one of the favorites with our patients as her smile and upbeat personality always make you feel welcome.

Dental hygenist, Shelly Cook is a native Texan who was raised in Grand Prairie and is a graduate of Grand Prairie High School. Following her most important job of raising two children, Shelly decided to pursue a degree of Science in Dental Hygiene from Tarrant County College, graduating in May of 2004.

Shelly has been married 22 years to her husband, Michael, and have a son, Brandon, who recently graduated from Baylor University and a daughter, Alec, who currently attends
Texas Tech University.

Shelly brings to our team the most current techniques utilized for dental hygiene and practical life experiences from her successful family life. Her commitment to our patient’s dental health is unparalleled as she continues to be a valuable part of the team.

Dental hygienist, Sharon Burrow is the newest member of our team and brings with her almost
30 years of experience. Sharon was raised in the Maryland area and settled in Virginia where she raised two sons, Toby and Corey. Sharon moved to the Dallas/Fort Worth area 16 year ago.

She is our resident gardener, the organic way, and enjoys time cooking and working on projects around the house. With her husband, Darren, they enjoy traveling to East Texas for some rest and relaxation, along with some occasional fishing.

She has worked in a variety of dental settings and is still enthusiastic about her career choice.
All of our patients comment favorably on Sharon’s eagerness to please and enjoy her upbeat personality.

Our financial manager, Tami Saldana, is closing in on decade of service with our office. She was raised in the Grand Prairie/Arlington area where she resides currently. Tami and her husband, Juan, are blessed with two beautiful daughters, twins Kaitlin and Abigail. They are both in the third grade and we all have some sympathy for the Juan who will have his hands full fending off the boyfriends in the near future.

Tami’s experience and knowledge of insurance benefits and procedures is invaluable. Her expertise in managing reimbursements for our patients has helped create a reputation as one of the best benefits managers in the dental field. If insurance benefits are not available, Tami will illustrate and explain other financing options to allow for flexibility and affordability.

Donna Linamen has been Dr. Tuggey’s chairside assistant for almost 15 years. She is a Fort Worth native and married her high school sweetheart, Bobby. Together they have a teenage daughter, Destiny, who is very active in sports including softball, basketball, and volleyball. Donna spends her spare time reading, shopping and watching Destiny play sports. Occasionally, she’ll venture out to watch Bobby play softball, a very accomplished men’s league player.

Donna is a licensed dental assistant by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. She is also certified for nitrous oxide monitoring, radiology (x-ray) procedures and CPR. Donno’s vast knowledge of all dental procedures makes her a vital member of our team and a crucial piece of
the puzzle for those times when the schedule really gets busy.

Dental hygienist, Valerie Whitllesey, traveled the world growing up and settled in the DFW area prior to attending college. She graduated from Texas Women’s University with a B. S. degree in Dental Hygiene and soon after started her career in dentistry with our office. Valerie and her husband, Ed, have tow children, a daughter and a son, and another on the way.

With all the little ones at home, Valerie splits her time at home and part-time at our office. For our Saturday patients, Valerie is usually their hygienist. After seven years, she is well versed on all procedures performed at our office and takes pride in keeping up with the latest developments in the field of dentistry. She’s especially popular with our younger patients.

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