Meet our Dental Hygienists
Christie
Office Manager (Clinic) & Dental HygienistChristie chose to become a Dental Hygienist because she loved going to the dentist as a child. She took pride in looking after her teeth and even wrote a speech about teeth in the fifth grade. She knew she wanted to become a hygienist after completing her eleventh grade co-op program at West Street Dental. Christie went to Niagara College for Dental Assisting. She worked at West Street Dental as an assistant until she began her studies in the Dental Hygiene program at Algonquin College. She graduated in 1999 and has been part of the Clarence Street Dental team ever since. She believes continuing education is so important and has been able to travel throughout the Unites States to complete courses. She has now been a Registered Dental Hygienist for twenty years! Christie enjoys working with people of all ages, and especially likes working with people who are nervous about dental treatment. She says she finds it rewarding when she gets to know her patients and they get to know her, and hopes each of her patients feel comfortable coming into the office to see her. On top of seeing patients, Christie is also one of our Clinic Managers.
Most of her time outside of work is spent with her husband, Ryan and her son, Luke. She enjoys being outside, travelling, and spending time with family and friends.
August
Dental HygienistAugust began her journey at Clarence Street Dental Group as a co-op student before becoming a full-time team member in April 2022. She is currently enrolled in the dental hygiene program at the Southern Ontario Dental College in Ancaster and will be graduating in July 2022. August has spent some time shadowing at many dental offices and during that time discovered her passion for orthodontics and pediatrics. She says that she knew she always wanted to work at CSDG as everyone is very friendly, welcoming, and is an overall great team with an inclusive environment. In her spare time, her hobbies include working out, travelling, going on hikes, baking, and enjoys doing eyelash extensions.
Brit
Restorative Dental HygienistBrit chose to become a dental hygienist as she wanted to play a role in preventative dental health. She says that “our oral health plays a huge role in our overall health and I want to take care of my patients wholeheartedly”. She loves the variety of knowledge that having dental as a career has been able to bring her. She never wants to stop learning all the different aspects of dental and hopes that all she learns is reflected by her ability to answer patient questions, to calm their nerves, and to provide appropriate care.
After graduating from Niagara College in 2012, Brit worked as a dental assistant for 8 years prior to finishing dental hygiene school. She has worked in orthodontics, pedodontics, mobile clinics, geriatric care, oral surgery, and sedation, with a special interest in orthodontics. She began working at Clarence Street Dental in 2020 after graduating from the Southern Ontario Dental College in 2019, where she was awarded for the highest number of clients completed overall in clinic.
When not at work, Brit enjoys spending time at the gym, going fishing, travelling (even if just for a weekend getaway), and cuddling with her beautiful cat, Zoey, and recently got married!
Dianne
Dental HygienistPrior to becoming a Dental Hygienist, Dianne graduated from college as a Dental Assistant. She enjoyed this for 3 years before returning to college to complete the Dental Hygiene program at Canadore College. Dianne has been a member of the CSDG team for 28 years.
Spending one-to-one time with her patients is one of her favourite parts of being a Dental Hygienist. She enjoys meeting a diversity of people whom she never would have met otherwise, and feels privileged to be part of their lives. She says, “I believe my life is enriched on a daily basis because of each patient I see”.
Dianne enjoys cycling on Brantford’s extensive trail systems and loves all animals! Her rescue dog Willow teaches her valuable life lessons every day including simplicity, loyalty and enthusiasm.
Erin
Dental HygienistAs a young child, Erin always had great experiences going to the dentist and realized it was something she wanted to pursue as a career. She enjoys working with people and helping them have a positive impact on their well-being. Erin went to a private dental hygiene program, the Canadian Institute of Dental Hygiene in Hamilton, and graduated in 2004. She began at West Street Dental as a co-op student, and moved on to working at Clarence Street Dental. She is qualified as a dental hygiene peer mentor for the CDHO. Erin loves all her patients, but working with children brings her the most joy.
Erin lives on a farm with her husband and three daughters. She spends a lot of time with her family and loves that she has the flexibility to work part-time to be with her family.
Heather
Dental HygienistHeather loved going to the dentist as a child as she enjoyed seeing how the dental team interacted and educated their patients. She knew from a young age that one day that’s what she wanted to do too. Heather attended St. Clair College and studied dental assisting before following her true passion of becoming a dental hygienist, graduating in 2008. She has experience in many departments, including general dentistry, orthodontics, and periodontology.
Of all the patients she see, Heather enjoys working with patients who have been absent from preventive care for a while. She says she likes being able to uncover their health goals, develop a plan with them, and be able to share in the success of that plan when implementation is carried out effectively.
Heather is originally from Windsor and says “the worst part about moving away is not being able to watch the Detroit Tigers play on a regular basis”. She enjoys spending time with her dog, Leonard, is a regular CrossFitter, and loves running (she’s completed multiple 5ks, 10ks, 10 miles and half marathons! Wow!).
Jacquie
Dental HygienistJacquie has been a Registered Dental Hygienist at Clarence Street Dental since 2013. She attended the Canadian Institute of Dental Hygiene, a private college in Hamilton, and graduated in 2011. She started her career working at another office covering for a maternity leave before she began working at Clarence Street Dental. Before becoming a dental hygienist she was unsure of what she wanted to do, but knew a career in healthcare was something she was interested in. After doing some research, she realized dental was the perfect fit for her as she enjoys helping and educating others while also being able to balance a healthy work and family life. She works as a preventive dental hygienist and is on the orthodontic team. She loves coming to work with all her co-workers and enjoys catching up with her patients.
When she’s not at work, Jacquie spends her time with her husband of 5 years, raising their 3 kids. She says their first baby was their chocolate lab Jersey girl. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family, being active by going for walks and bike rides, and being outside working in her garden – but would never turn down the chance to take a good nap!
Jenna
Dental HygienistJenna chose to become a dental hygienist because of the positive impact it has on her patients. Being a dental hygienist allows her to work one-on-one with patients in the community and she enjoys meeting people from all walks of life who she likely never would’ve met otherwise. She feels privileged that she gets to be part of their lives, hear their stories, and form relationships with them.
After graduating high school, Jenna went to Niagara College for dental assisting and worked as a dental assistant for three years in Burlington. Wanting to further her career, she decided to pursue dental hygiene and went to the Ontario Dental Education Institute in Ancaster. She received a clinical acknowledgement award as well as the professionalism award. After graduating in July 2013, she began her career at Clarence Street Dental in September 2013.
Jenna was born and raised in Stoney Creek, but moved to Brantford in January 2015 with her husband, Matt. They were married in November 2018 and have a wiener dog named Theo which she says “is their baby”! They enjoy renovating their house, as she loves interior decorating and has a slight addiction to Pinterest! She enjoys swimming in their pool, and having friends and family over for bbqs in the summer.
Kayla
Dental HygienistKayla began working at Clarence Street Dental Group in September 2021. She graduated from Fanshawe College as an Honour Role student, has clinical experience in both the Western and Fanshawe dental clinics, and participated in two co-op opportunities in dental offices in Brantford. Kayla chose to pursue dentistry as she loves to help people stay happy and healthy! She enjoys educating her patients on ways to maintain good oral health and advocates for everyone to have access to dental services.
Kayla already loves working at CSDG. She has been a patient here for a long time and has always had positive experiences when she comes here. She loves a challenge when working and likes to stay busy – CSDG is a great place for that as we are a bigger office with lots of people to help and lots of new people to meet. She says “the team is all very friendly and welcoming and that creates a great experience for me and for the patients.”
In her free time, Kayla enjoys working out, hanging out with her friends and family, cooking, and painting.
Lauren
Dental HygienistLauren has been a Dental Hygienist with Clarence Street Dental since 2015, since graduating from Niagara College. She initially thought she wanted to be a nurse, but after some experience in the field she realized it wasn’t for her. Being a dental hygienist allowed her to stay in the healthcare field and help patients in a different way, and she hasn’t looked back since!
Lauren loves all her patients, but is naturally drawn to patients that are children, have special needs, and experience dental anxiety. Her ability to stay calm and be patient allows her to connect with her patients on a level that goes beyond treatment.
When she isn’t working, Lauren enjoys walks on the farm with her dogs Reggie and Bella, cooking for her family and friends, and traveling to warm places in the winter with her husband. Lauren is a proud mom of her 1 year old son, Sully.
Lesley
Dental HygienistLesley spent many years trying to find what she wanted to do. Finally she found her love for dental hygiene as the idea of contributing to someone’s reason to smile was a pretty gratifying feeling for her. Having worked as a server/bartender for ten years she enjoys building relationships with people, which especially applies to all her patients in the dental chair. She says “getting to know my patients and being able to educate them is what I love to do”.
This is Lesley’s first year as a registered dental hygienist and she started right away at Clarence Street Dental after graduating from the Southern Ontario Dental College. She completed her Level II dental assisting to gain a base understanding of dental and the anatomy of the mouth before becoming a dental hygienist. She enjoys all aspects of dental but enjoys working with children as their sweet smiles can brighten anyone’s day.
Lesley loves to be outdoors, hiking, and going for bike rides.
Naomi
Dental HygienistNaomi began her studies at McMaster University for psychology with the goal of becoming a teacher. While completing her degree, she realized her passion for public health. She found that dental hygiene had all aspects of what she wanted in her career: teaching, science, health promotion, and working with people.
Naomi went to a private dental hygiene college and has been a dental hygienist since 2010. She was awarded the Katy Damond Award, which is given to an individual for positivity and leadership qualities. She began working at Clarence Street Dental in 2011 and enjoys seeing the wide variety of patients every day. She says she has the ‘gift of gab’ and loves conversing with her patients each time she sees them.
In her spare time, Naomi spends her time with her husband, Scott, her son, Emmett, and their puppy, Kingsley. She says the way to her heart is through her stomach and that in order to work off the calories she consumes, her and her husband enjoy bike rides, hikes, and the gym.
Rachal
Dental HygienistRachal choose to become a hygienist as she had an interest in the medical field and loves working directly with people. She hoped that by becoming a hygienist she could help people have a confident and healthy smile and lead a positive life because of it. Rachal graduated from Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario with Honours and started working at CSDG in 2019. She says she is “looking forward to creating lasting connections with new and existing patients”. She considers herself very patient and understanding, which will help her with young children and patients with dental anxiety. She always makes sure that her patients leave feeling better than when they walked in.
In her free time, Rachal likes to be active by running, working out, or her new passion – yoga! She also enjoys reading mystery novels and drawing/painting for her friends!
Rosy
Dental HygienistRosy earned her dental hygiene diploma from George Brown College and her Bachelors of Science degree from McMaster University. Throughout her education she gained clinical experience in both private and community-based dental settings. She volunteered as a clinician and student mentor with non-profit dental organizations both locally and internationally, and worked in various dental specialties.
Currently at Clarence Street Dental Group, Rosy practices in both preventive dental hygiene and in orthodontics. She loves everything about the teeth and the mouth. She says she loves how they help us chew our food to feed our bodies, how they help us talk with one another, and how they express our emotions with a smile. She believes that teeth and the mouth are a very important part of health care, and finds that being a part of helping patients to achieve an optimal level of dental and overall health is very rewarding.
Rosy and her husband, Chad, have a fluffy goldendoodle together named Winston. She says they both keep her feeling loved and humbled for everything that she has in life.
Sarah
Dental HygienistSarah graduated as a Dental Hygienist from Niagara College in 2018 with Honours, and was awarded the Clinical Leadership Certificate. After graduating, she worked at a dental office where she began to apply the knowledge and skills she acquired from school. Sarah has joined CSDG and is excited for her future here. Not only is she a hygienist, she is part of our Orthodontic team. Sarah chose to become a dental hygienist because of the interaction with her patients. She enjoys meeting the wide variety of patients that step into our office, and hearing about their families, travels and stories, even if it is only for an hour at a time. Sarah takes pride in connecting with her patients by listening to them and by making them comfortable. She also believes that patient education is very important and is always keeping them informed about their oral health. She enjoys working with children and those who are nervous about going to the dentist.
Sarah loves camping, fishing, and being outdoors with her family and friends. And despite being allergic to animals, she loves being around them!
Steph
Dental HygienistGrowing up, Steph thought her dental hygienist was the “coolest chick ever”. Steph’s passion to become a dental hygienist began in the fifth grade; and here she is all these years later! She says “it’s a super rewarding career, and being able to work at CSDG is the best part”. She loves the team she works with, and loves the wide variety of team members, including the dentists, orthodontist, oral surgeons, child specialist, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and front desk team. Ever since she started working here, she has grown close to her team members, and says the time has flown by!
Steph completed the Dental Hygiene program at Niagara College with Honours. She was hired here right after school and has recently had the opportunity to start working with Dr. Mark Pus, our orthodontist, and his fantastic team. Steph also loves working with children and encourages them to ask questions not only about their teeth but anything they want to know about her. She hopes to work with the youth in the community to help them build a better understanding surrounding oral health and overall health. Her greatest joy is the smile her patients have when they’re proud of and empowered by their own smile!
Growing up with her three siblings on a hobby farm brought upon her passion for caring for animals. She could talk about her dog, cats, cows, chickens, and birds all day if she had someone who would listen! Steph focuses a lot of her time and energy on fitness – and says it’s because she’s a foodie and has to make sure she’s able to try all the food she wants.
Trina
Dental HygienistBefore getting into dental, Trina worked alongside a nurse doing social work. Looking for a change, it was suggested to her to pursue dental. She began as a dental assistant and later completed dental hygiene school in North Bay. She has now worked at Clarence Street Dental for 16 years and has never looked back! Trina enjoys coming to work every day because of the people she gets to meet every single day. She loves being around people and has found the perfect place for her to interact with people on a daily basis.
Trina enjoys spending time with her two teenagers and her dog, playing tennis, and hiking with her husband of 19 years.