Meet the Team

Susan

Operations Manager

& Treatment Coordinator

Dentistry runs in Susan’s family. Her father is a retired dentist and her eldest  daughter, Vanessa, is dentist in pediatric residency at Medical University South Carolina.  Susan was the first employee of Phelps & Cohen Orthodontics. Her husband, Van, was Dr. Phelps’s high school baseball and football coach. When she is not working, Susan enjoys gardening, baking, playing with her dogs, and shopping at estate sales.

Sarah

Treatment Coordinator

Sarah has been a treatment coordinator for almost twenty years and loves being involved in the orthodontic field. She spends her free time cheering on her daughter’s volleyball team, watching her husband coach basketball, shopping, and working out.

Vi

Financial Coordinator

Vi is our resident bargain shopper and enjoys eating out with friends and family on the weekends. Vi’s husband Antoine and her two daughters, Maddie and June, also keep her on her toes.

Robin

Scheduling Coordinator

& Human Resources Specialist

Robin's family includes her daughter, Jessica, and son, Dylan. Her time outside the office is spent with friends and family, as well as rooting for the New York Giants and Yankees.

Zoe

Scheduling Coordinator

Zoe is a native of Oregon but she loves living in California. Although she's worked in customer service since 2011, this is her first position in orthodontics and she's thrilled to be a part of the team. When she’s not in the office, Zoe enjoys trying new restaurants with her boyfriend, spending time with her friends, thrift shopping, and traveling.

Jessica

New Patient Coordinator

& Financial Assistant

Jessica is a registered medical assistant. You will sometimes see Jessica at the front desk, but she is more often working behind-the-scenes verifying patient's insurance.  Jessica enjoys spending time with friends, hiking, watching movies, shopping, and baking. She is very happy to be working with such an amazing team and is even happier that she gets to work with her mom, Robin.

Denise

New Patient Coordinator

& Financial Assistant

Denise moved to the Bay Area from Minnesota. She has over fifteen years of experience in customer service and management. When Denise is not working, she is spending time with her husband, Daniel, and her sons, Dax and Degan. She also enjoys spending time with friends, cheering on her sons’ teams, going to the beach, doing yoga, shopping, and traveling.

Andrea

Registered Dental Assistant

Caitlin

Sterilization Technician

Terri

Registered Dental Assistant

Terri has been an assistant at Phelps & Cohen Orthodontics since 2007. She is our office book critic. Outside of work she enjoys shopping, long walks, reading, catching up with her TV shows, and spending time with her family.

Margarette

Registered Dental Assistant

Margarette has been an orthodontic assistant since 2006 and finds orthodontics fascinating! She is a native of Green Bay, Wisconsin and has been living in California since 2013. In her free time, she enjoys photography, traveling, shopping, and spending time with family and friends.

Helen

Registered Dental Assistant

Helen has been an Assistant in both  general dentistry and in orthodontics. She finds orthodontics fascinating and rewarding. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking, reading, being outdoors and staying active. She is also very happy to be able to be a part of such a fun team.

Stephanie S.

Registered Dental Assistant

Stephanie is a RDA graduate from Monterey Peninsula College. She loves working in the orthodontic field of dentistry, watching and caring for patients throughout their transformation to a beautiful smile. Outside of work Stephanie enjoys spending time with family, friends and husband, Kevin. She also enjoys going on walks with her dog, Bubba, crafting projects, hiking, and rooting for the Boston Red Sox.

Lisa

Registered Dental Assistant

Lisa has been in the dental field for over a decade and has a passion for orthodontics.  Her husband and daughter both received treatment for Phelps & Cohen Orthodontics. She and her family are BIG sports fans!  In her free time, Lisa is busy watching her kids play sports as well as attending local sporting events and cheering on her favorite teams.  Lisa also loves spending time at the beautiful California coastline.

Tharina

Registered Dental Assistant

Tharina believes that everyone deserves to love their smile, and smile as much and as often as they can. She is very happy to be a part of a team that helps patients leave happy every day. When Tharina is not working, she enjoys traveling, going to sporting events, and spending time with her close friends, family, and great dane, Aurora.

Kat

Registered Dental Assistant

Kat has been a dental assistant for over 10 years and loves working in the orthodontic field of dentistry. In her free time, Kat enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also loves being outdoors, going to the beach and hiking with her dog, Max. Her favorite sports teams are the San Francisco Giants, San Jose Sharks, and the San Francisco 49ers.

Vanessa Kristensen, DMD

Systems Coordinator

Dr. Kristensen is the eldest daughter of our operations manager/treatment coordinator, Susan. Vanessa earned her DMD from A.T. Still University/Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health and is in pediatric residency at Medical University South Carolina. In her free time, Vanessa enjoys training with her dogs and cheering on her alma mater the University of Oregon Ducks!

Araceli

Dental Assistant

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