I have always said that I only want to work at a practice that I would refer my own family members to and I believe that I have found just that.  I’m feeling very much at home and loving every minute getting to work with the staff here in Escondido.  I feel very fortunate to live in such a family friendly and welcoming community.  I’d like to take this time now to tell you a little bit about my journey that has led me here.

I was born in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah called Holiday where I spent as much time as I could playing basketball in our driveway or swimming in the backyard with my 2 sisters and 2 brothers.  In high school, I was an avid runner and when I wasn’t running, I was either on a snowboard or a wakeboard, depending on the season of course.  Now that I live in San Diego, there is one more board I would like to learn how to ride and that is a surf board.  Luckily my wife, Angela, grew up here and loves to be at the beach so there should be plenty of opportunities for me to learn.  Another hobby I picked up some time ago is golf.  With all the responsibilities that come with my young family and starting my career, I don’t get out nearly as often as I would like, but I’m grateful to live in a city now where I at least have the possibility to all year long!

As I said before, my wife, Angela, is a San Diego native.  In fact, she was born just down the street here in Escondido at Palomar Hospital.  Several of Angela’s family members worked for dentists right here on Grand Avenue.  We met in college up at the University of Utah where I got my Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish.  Shortly after her graduation, we got married here in San Diego and then I whisked her off to lovely Omaha, Nebraska, so I could attend Dental School at Creighton University.  Even though we were a bit hesitant to move away from family and friends, we both look back on those years in Omaha with the fondest of memories.  I feel so fortunate for the education and experiences I gained at Creighton as well as the lifelong friends we made there.  Another reason Omaha will always hold a special place in my heart is because it is the place I became a dad for the first time.  My oldest daughter, Ella, was born a few months before I graduated and her presence in our family has been a blessing in every way possible.

After dental school, I accepted a position as an Oral Surgery Intern at the VA Hospital in Long Beach.  While I was there, I had the opportunity to work with a periodontist who really taught me what this profession is all about.  There is not a day that goes by that I don’t feel grateful for my decision to pursue periodontics as I feel it is the perfect fit for me.
So…it was back out to the Midwest for us again! This time we headed to Oklahoma City so I could get a Master’s degree in Periodontics at the residency program at the University of Oklahoma.  Again, my wife and I were a little nervous about moving to a new city, but again we were pleasantly surprised at how quickly we grew to love Oklahoma City.  During our 3 years there, we were blessed with another daughter, Sadie, who could not be more opposite from her older sister but the love her mother and I have for her grows every day.

While we were in Oklahoma, we realized that it was time to decide on a place for me to find a practice and for us to raise our growing family.  We quickly decided that with all of the family we have San Diego, we should begin our search here.  Each time we came to San Diego to visit, I took each opportunity I had to learn all I could about the dental community here.  When I would ask around about periodontal practices, time and time again, I was told to go talk to Dr.’s Tagge in Escondido.  It seemed as though there was endless compliments about this practice so I felt very humbled and left with the feeling of trying to fill some pretty big shoes when I was told that I had been given the opportunity to work here. 

The timing of my graduation and Dr. Tagge’s retiring was a little off so I worked for a periodontist in Phoenix, Arizona.  We spent just a short year there but like Omaha and Oklahoma City, it will always be a special place to me as it was the birthplace of my son, Aiden.

The commitment to patient’s dental health that is shared, not only with the doctors but among the hygienists and assistants and throughout the rest of the staff here, is the best I have seen in any practice.  I look forward to meeting you and upholding the highest standard of periodontal care that this practice is known for.