Meet Our Team
Dr. Lori has been practicing the specialty of orthodontics for over 15 years. She considers herself blessed to have had the opportunity to create thousands of beautiful smiles during that time. Her passion for orthodontics is essentially spreading positivity. A beautiful smile boosts self-confidence and improves a patient’s ability to keep their teeth healthy. When someone is proud of their smile, they are more willing to share it!
Education
- Dr. Lori graduated Magnum Cum Laude from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 1995 and achieved the Biology Student of the Year award.
She then attended Southern Illinois University’s dental school and earned her DMD in 1999. While in dental school, she was selected to join the prestigious Omicron Kappa Upsilon honors fraternity.
- Upon obtaining her dental degree, Dr. Lori went straight into the orthodontic specialty program at St. Louis University in Missouri. Her specialty degree was awarded at the end of this program in 2001.
- Dr. Lori then had the opportunity to practice orthodontics in Peoria, IL, with a very knowledgeable and experienced colleague. It was here that she really felt she honed her orthodontic skills and knowledge base. Thank you, Steve!
- She has continued to advance her education by completing the 2-year Roth continuing education course, which focuses on Occlusion as it relates to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) positioning.
- In February 2008, she earned her Board Certification status and is dedicated to maintaining this status throughout her career.
- She attends various CE courses yearly to learn more about advancements in the field of orthodontics ranging from Invisalign improvements to new dental materials and technology.
Professional Associations
- American Association of Orthodontists
- American Board of Orthodontics
- American Dental Association
- Texas Dental Association
- San Antonio District Dental Society
- Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honor Fraternity
- Preferred Invisalign Provider
Giving Back
Dr. Lori also feels passionate about spreading positivity to underserved populations. Between 2004 and 2007, she led the Give Kids a Smile Day initiative in Peoria, Illinois. This was a day of free dentistry for underserved children, which was provided by a group of volunteer dentists. In 2006 she won the Young Dentist of the Year award from the Illinois State Dental Society for this initiative. She has also been so fortunate as to travel to Haiti on three different occasions. During each trip, she performed extractions of non-restorable teeth to prevent the infection from spreading. The beautiful people of Haiti found a lot to smile about even when having teeth removed. Dr. Lori feels grateful to have had these experiences. She believes they have made her a more compassionate clinician and human being.
When she’s not creating beautiful smiles…
Dr. Lori enjoys spending time with her two boys, Ian and Evan. Thanks to these two she can pretty much recite the movie Nacho Libre! When she’s not chasing her boys, she loves to run and lift weights, visit with her parents, friends, and neighbors as well as travel. She moved to San Antonio in 2006 and feels fortunate to call it home!
Michelle has been helping patients achieve beautiful smiles as an orthodontic assistant for the last 16 years. She loves getting to know each patient so that she can provide them with the most personalized care possible. Keeping patients comfortable and informed in regard to their treatment is her mission. Watching patients gain self-confidence during their orthodontic adventure is one of her favorite things about her job. Michelle was born and raised in San Antonio and enjoys the Spurs, Fiesta time and her Grandbabies!
Stephanie has been helping patients on their journey to their best smile for 15 years. She begins with a warm welcome and acts as a guide during each patient’s orthodontic transformation. One of her favorite things about her job is that each day is new and exciting in its own way. Stephanie is also very knowledgeable on the different insurance plans and enjoys helping each patient maximize their orthodontic benefit. While away from “the studio” she enjoys spending time with her husband Reggie and their five kids.
Beatriz or "Bea" is a proud Texas native from Kerrville. She has been working as a dental/orthodontic assistant for a little over 2 years now, but don't let her youth fool you! She is a regular orthodontic "rockstar" assistant. She is committed to providing excellent care in a very compassionate manner. In her spare time, Bea loves to have fun in San Antonio with friends, participate in local running events as well as visit her family in Kerrville.
Martha has been caring for dental and orthodontic patients now for 23 years. She oversees all clinical operations at Smile Studio SA. Martha is originally from Honduras but came to San Antonio by way of California. She and her husband and their three girls are a proud military family. She has been happy to call San Antonio her home since 2019 and enjoys traveling with her husband and spending time with her grandkids and her pet pig Chicha!
Needra is excited to be part of the Smile Studio SA family! She has 30-plus years of data analysis and assisting with IT connectivity. Most importantly, she has even more years of keeping Dr. Lori in line since she is her Mother. In her patient care coordinator role, she will be happy to make sure patients are checked in and out in a timely manner and will assist with financial information.
