Meet The Periodontal Team – Lincoln, NE

Diane, Office Manager

Diane’s career in oral healthcare impressively covers nearly 40 years so far, with most of that time spent right here at our office. She studied at Central Community College in Hastings and has also worked as a Certified Dental Assistant. Today, her favorite part of this job is building long-lasting relationships with other people. She is so thankful to be part of a team that strives to treat each patient with kindness, respect, dignity, and honesty. They’re also dedicated to the highest standards of care, communication, and appreciation possible – not just of patients, but of each other and the extended dental community as well.

Diane is proud to come from a farming background – in fact, her parents and two brothers still farm south of Cozad. Her sister works as an educator in Kansas. She also has a daughter who works as a dental hygienist and lives in Alabama, as well as a son in Omaha who is a structural engineer. She recently married her childhood friend Gregg (they first met in 7^th grade band class), who is the owner of GDE Construction. They enjoy a wonderful life together with their three dogs. As for hobbies, she is happiest when serving others, enjoying time with family and friends, and experiencing/sharing music and laughter. She and her husband are finishing up therapy dog training with their English Yellow Lab soon. She is also one half of a piano duo who performs for residents of retirement facilities and church events. They’re called Two Pea’nists in a Pod!

Colleen, Administrative Assistant

Colleen was born in Manhattan, KS but was raised in Lincoln. She graduated from the dental assistant program at Southeast Community College in 1981. Today, her overall dental career spans nearly 40 years! She feels very proud to not only work with such wonderful people each day but also take care of them as they pursue healthier, happier smiles.

Colleen and her husband Scott have been married for nearly 30 years, and have three children. Lauren is a Registered Nurse, Kylie is starting dental school at UNMC in the fall (she hopes to become a pedodontist or periodontist), and Taylor is a health/science major at UNL. As for hobbies, their entire family loves traveling and has undergone scuba diving expeditions, including Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and Turks and Caicos. Colleen herself personally enjoys gardening, exercising, walking outdoors, and keeping up with Husker sports, especially women’s volleyball. She is a member of St. Joseph Church and is dependent on her faith in all aspects of life. In addition to working full-time in dentistry, she also successfully runs her own small business, which is named Simply Amaizen Popcorn and Snacks!

Marcia, Business Manager

A Lincoln native, Marcia attended Southeast Community College for her education. Today, she has been working in dental offices for nearly 40 years! She loves being to help so many wonderful patients and spend time alongside such talented coworkers on a daily basis.

Marcia and her husband Lynn have two sons named Trevor and Tate. Trevor is happily married and has a daughter named Grayson, who is the love of their lives. Tate is developmentally disabled and lives at home; he keeps them on their toes and feeling young for sure! Outside of working hours, she enjoys watching all types of sports, being outdoors, and reading. She also definitely has a wanderlust personality and is always up for traveling and experiencing new places. In 2019, she had the opportunity to go to South Africa, and it was an experience she will never forget.

Nykole, Administrative Assistant

Nykole says that her job is all about building relationships and getting to know people’s stories. She loves working with our patients and learning about them, and this makes serving them alongside our doctors and staff even more rewarding. She attended Southeast Community College and has over a decade of experience working in dental insurance and as a dental assistant.

Nykole married her high school sweetheart, and they have five children, including four daughters and one son. They also have a lot of pets, including three dogs, a cat, and two chinchillas! She is very involved in Girl Scouts and enjoys watching her son shoot trap on the weekends. As long as she is outside and with her children, she’s happy!

Marina, Dental Hygienist

Marina completed her dental education at the University of Nebraska College of Dentistry, and she has her Expanded Functions training. Today, she’s been working in dentistry for over 15 years so far! Her favorite part of this work is being able to interact closely with patients in need, as well as help them maintain their dental health over the long-term.

While Marina was born in Dnepr, Ukraine, she considers Lincoln her true hometown. She and her husband Alexander have three children named Roman, Julia, and Nelly. Outside of the dental practice, her favorite activities are hiking in the mountains of Colorado, basking in the sun on Florida beaches, and baking artisan bread. She also enjoys trying new recipes from different countries, gardening, reading, and taking on cross-stitching projects. Spending quality time with her large family is an absolute must too, of course!

Shirlette, Dental Hygienist

Shirlette’s career in dentistry spans nearly 35 years so far! She loves caring for, treating, education, and building relationships with not only her wonderful patients but the other team members too. You’ll be sure to enjoy her positive, optimistic personality from the moment you meet her. She studied dental assisting at Southeast Community College before earning her dental hygiene degree at Central Community College in Hastings. She is an RDH who also has her public health license.

Outside of the office, Shirlette is the proud single mom of a teenage boy – he’s her greatest gift. When she has free time, she enjoys cooking, entertaining, hanging out with family and friends, reading, and golfing. She also loves being outdoors and enjoying the sounds, smells, and quietness that God has blessed us with. She has to admit that she always looks forward to shopping too – what girl doesn’t?

Sara, Registered Dental Hygienist

Nothing makes Sara happier than using her skills and educating people so our patients are able to preserve their natural teeth. She attended the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry and has an associate degree in dental assisting as well as her bachelor’s in dental hygiene. Over the course of her 10+ year career, she has worked in general dentistry, oral surgery, and orthodontics. She has also gone on multiple dental/medical mission trips to Honduras.

Originally from Minneapolis, MN, Sara comes from a family with five children (she’s the second oldest), and here in Lincoln, it is just her and her Yorkipoo, Davis. In her free time, she likes reading, traveling, listening to podcasts, grabbing good Mexican food, and seeing friends and family.

Hang, Dental Assistant

Hang has been working in the dental world for over 16 years now. She studied assisting at Southeast Community College and is a CDA. Today, she thinks there’s lots to love about her position! She enjoys improving her patients’ health, seeing them achieve bright and wonderful smiles, meeting new people, and participating in good teamwork with her coworkers. If she can help a patient feel calm and happy after their procedure, it makes her entire day.

Hang and her husband Tommy have four wonderful children at home named Daniel, Dominic, Sydney, and Milan. Whenever she has free time away from the office, she likes reading a good book, walking outside or in the park, playing with the kids, and taking on various home improvement projects. Here’s an interesting fact about her: she’s bilingual and speaks Vietnamese in addition to English!

Tristan, Dental Assistant

Tristan is one of the newest members of our team, but she already loves how well everyone gets together here – it really does feel like a second family! After attending the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, she studied dental assisting at Southeast Community College and is a CDA today.

Tristan is originally from Shelton, and her mom and dad still live there with their three dogs. She also has an older brother named Clayton who is currently in the Navy and stationed in Mississippi. When she has free time away from the office, her favorite hobbies include being outside and playing with her dog Murphy. Here’s an interesting tidbit about her: she was born on Good Friday!

Samantha, Certified Dental Assistant

Samantha loves forming relationships with our patients and using them to help people transform their smiles and lives for the better! She is a graduate of Southeast Community College and regularly attends continuing education courses to keep up with the latest dental technology and techniques.

Outside of dentistry, Samantha enjoys spending time with her dog, Sutton-- taking her out to her parent's acreage is always a treat! You’ll often find her hanging out with her family, taking the boat out on the lake or going on one of many hunting trips.

TaLissa, Dental Assistant

Born and raised in Lincoln, TaLissa began her career in the field of dentistry by studying at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After graduating, she moved on to get her certification in dental assisting through the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry. Over the past several years, she’s undergone on-the-job training to hone her skills and expand her expertise as a dental assistant so that she can provide the high-quality care patients deserve. Today, her favorite thing about her job is building connections with our patients to create a positive experience for them at the dental office.

When she isn’t at the office helping others take care of their smiles, TaLissa spends quality time with her son at home. Every Friday night is their movie night together, and she occasionally hosts grill-outs on the weekends to hang out with friends and loved ones. She also enjoys cooking, playing volleyball all year round, and reading a good book. Her favorite novel is 11/22/63 by Stephen King!