Jamey Blankenship

_{Operations Manager}

Mrs. Jamey Blankenship joined the Northstar Family Dental Team in 2014. As our Office Manager, Jamey ensures that both the “front” and “back of the house” are running smoothly.

With an MBA in Healthcare Management, Jamey is a natural leader and thrives in a fast-paced environment. Under Jamey’s expert leadership, the Northstar Family Dental team provides the ultimate customer experience.

Jamey’s extra efforts and passion for her staff and her patients help to set the Northstar Family Dental office apart from other practices.

When asked about her decision to enter the healthcare management field, she simply says,  “It chose me.”

When she is not leading her team in the office, her favorite way to spend her time is enjoying adventures with her husband and spending quality time with their daughter, Violet, and their Boston Terrier, Murphy.

Courtney Knapp

_{Business Team Manager}

As the Northstar Family Dental Business Team Manager, Mrs. Courtney Knapp travels between our two office locations to help hire, coach and lead our front desk team and ultimately ensure that our administrative team operates like a well-oiled machine.

Working across both offices affords Courtney the opportunity to work with all Northstar Family Dental team members. Courtney’s role truly requires her to be a chameleon and includes helping with patient check in, check out and treatment plans. The chance to still interact with patients while leading our internal team, is something Courtney says is one of her favorite aspects of her role.

With a B.A. in Elementary Education and a Masters of Business Administration, Courtney’s position highlights her passion for teaching and working one on one with team members. Courtney has natural leadership qualities and the ability to support our team in serve our patients with five-star service.

When she is not bouncing back and forth between our offices, what Courtney enjoys most is spending time with her one-year-old daughter Ava and her husband. 

Kacey Pinkerton

_{Insurance Coordinator}

If you’ve called the Northstar Family Dental office or been in for a visit, you’ve probably had the good fortune of interacting with our front desk lead, Ms. Kacey Pinkerton.

With a warm smile and sincere welcome, Kacey puts our patients at ease from the moment they enter the front door. With a Bachelor’s degree in business, Kacey efficiently and effectively assists our patients with scheduling, insurance and payments needs.

Beyond that, Kacey is a valuable contributor to office “extracurricular activities,” such as patient appreciation initiatives, staff recognition and continuous training.

Kacey enjoys the challenge of the fast-paced and ever-expanding environment and is grateful to be in a position that allows her to learn something new every day.

Outside of the office, Kacey is an avid runner and devoted mother to her toddler, Briley.

Ashley Taylor

Dental Hygienist

Ashley attended West Virginia University and is licensed to administer local anesthesia and certified to administer nitrous oxide and CPR certified.

Growing up Ashley was extremely shy and had crooked teeth. She knows how much dentistry can change someones life – like it changed hers – and she wants to play a role in helping others find their confident smile.

When she’s not in the office, you can find Ashley hiking, kayaking, reading or in the gym.

Savannah Defelice

_{Scheduling Coordinator}

Ms. Savannah Defelice is a valued member of our Scheduling Coordinator team. Savannah’s outgoing and kind personality make her a natural fit for her role in assisting our patients in scheduling their dental appointments within their busy schedules. 

A career in the dental field seemed to be predestined for Savannah, whose mother was a dental assistant for 18 years. She credits the passion that she saw her mother show for her work as the reason behind her early interest in dentistry. 

Savannah loves to help others, so it is no surprise that is one of her favorite parts of her job. Our patients call her with a goal and she is able to help them achieve it, which she finds to be very rewarding. 

Outside of work, Savannah is a sports enthusiast and loves cheering on the Cleveland Browns and Ohio State Buckeyes with her family. She also loves to vacation with her family – her favorite destination being Mexico.

Cara Skaggs

_{Registered Hygienist}

Ms. Cara Skaggs joined the Northstar hygienist team in August of 2015. Cara holds an Associates Degree in Dental Hygiene from CSCC. Additionally, she is licensed to administer local anesthesia and certified to administer nitrous oxide.

Cara chose a career in oral hygiene because she realized that one of the first things that she noticed when meeting new people was their smile and the confidence that could be expressed during such a simple interaction. She wanted to help people become more confident in their daily lives by helping them obtain happy and healthy smiles.

What Cara enjoys most about her work is patient education. She says that seeing the reaction on her patient’s face when she shares her tips and tricks for at-home care is her favorite part of the appointment.

When she’s not educating in the office, Cara enjoys hiking, kayaking, camping and antiquing with her family. She spends her downtime at home relaxing with her husband and their pets.

Jamey Dalrymple

_EFDA

Jamey joined the Northstar team in 2020. She attended Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine. Additionally, she is a Certified Dental Assistant and certified in Expanded Functions Dental Auxiliary.

Jamey chose a career in oral hygiene because of her Grandma.  Her Grandma taught Jamey to look at people’s smiles – she would say if people took good care of their teeth, they would take care of you.

What Jamey enjoys most about her work is her patient becoming her “family”.

When she’s not in the office, you can find Jamey spending time with her husband, her twins, and their rescue dog Scarlet. 

Liza Green

_{Registered Hygienist}

Ms. Liza Green is a valued member of the Northstar Registered Dental Hygienist team. Having graduated from The Ohio State University, Liza spent five years practicing dentistry in Las Vegas before returning to her home state.

In addition to being an RDH, Liza is also a certified EFDA. When asked, Liza says that she chose a career in dentistry because she was interested in the one-on-one patient interaction and the opportunity to make a positive impact on her patients’ overall health. The confidence that is projected by healthy smiles is Liza’s favorite part of her job.

Outside of the office Liza enjoys traveling, working out, reading, spending time with her dog Oliver and is an avid OSU fan!

Kami Van Way

_{Clinical Team Manager}

Ms. Kami Van Way joined our growing team of Certified Dental Assistants in 2018 as our Clinical Team Manager. Kami’s talent and passion for dentistry are immediately obvious and just part of what makes her so valuable to our team and to our patients. 

Brooke West

_{Dental Hygienist}

Brooke joined the Northstar team in 2020. She is a graduate of the Ohio State University.  Additionally, she is licensed to administer local anesthesia and certified to administer nitrous oxide.

Brooke chose a career in oral hygiene to help patients understand the connections between oral and overall health.

When she’s not in the office, Brooke enjoys working out, OSU football games and community service.

Megan Caltrider

_{Sterilization Assistant}

Megan joined Northstar Family Dental in 2020.  She is a student at Columbus State Community College for Dental Hygiene.  

Megan chose a career in dentistry because it was always something her family had brought up when they spoke of her future plans.  Once she decided to follow that journey she fell in love with the idea of not having a desk job but still having the opportunity to meet new people and make a difference in lives. 

Her favorite part of her job is gaining knowledge for her future career and the awesome people she gets to work with at NSFD. 

She enjoys spending time with her friends and family on her time off and taking her two adorable dogs on long walks.

Cayla Beam

_{Sterilization Assistant}

Mrs. Cayla Beam was a welcomed addition to our growing team of Dental Assistants in 2016. Cayla is a great asset to our team as she is both Radiology and CPR certified.

Cayla chose a career in dentistry because she wanted to be a part of a team whose focus and dedication was on making people healthy, happy and confident. What she enjoys most about her job is working with a supportive team and the unique opportunity to meet, get to know and form lasting relationships with her patients.

Outside of work, Cayla stays entertained with concerts, movies and exploring new restaurants. When she’s not on the move, she likes to relax with her family and spend time with her thirteen-year-old Lhasa Apso, Jinx.

Taylor Harris

Treatment Coordinator

Ms. Taylor Wilson is a member of our Dental Assistant team. She joined our growing practice in 2018.

After graduating from Highland High School, Taylor went on to complete concentrated training and certification in the Dental Assistant Pro program.

Taylor chose to further her education in dentistry because she was looking for a career with longevity and purpose. Taylor has always enjoyed her visits to the dentist, so the career choice came naturally to her. Taylor‘s supportive character and strong teamwork skills make her an essential member of our Dental Assistant team. Taylor also holds specialty certifications and licenses in Radiology and CPR.

When she is not working hard in the office, Taylor enjoys taking her dogs on walks, spending time outdoors and quality time with friends and family.

Lori Kreitzer

Scheduling Coordinator

Lori joined our growing practice in 2020.

After graduating from Sullivan University, she found her way to Marion, Ohio, and has lived there for 7 years. 

Lori loves to meet new people, and her passion for dentistry arose when the positive environment at Northstar Family Dental caught her attention.

When she is not working hard in the office, Lori enjoys relaxing with a good book.  She also enjoys hanging out with her friends and family.   Lori loves to travel and dreams of traveling to Italy and Greece one day. 

Lauren Kaiser 

Treatment Coordinator

Lauren Kaiser is a valuable member of our Treatment Coordinator team. As a Treatment Coordinator, Lauren works efficiently and effectively as a liaison between our patients and our team of doctors to make sure everyone is on the same page about treatment options and plans, ensuring the best
dental experiences possible.
Before joining the Northstar team, Lauren worked as a Dental Assistant while taking classes at Columbus
State. Her grandfather was a dentist, so Lauren says she’s grown up with intrigue and fascination with the
field and especially enjoys helping people on the administrative side of dentistry.
Lauren is has a general passion for helping people in and outside of the workplace. She also enjoys
spending time with her family and her guilty pleasure is reality TV!

Jennelle May

_{Dental Hygienist}

Jennelle joined the Northstar team in 2020. She is a graduate of Columbus State Community College with an Associate of Applied Science.  Additionally, she is licensed to administer local anesthesia and certified to administer nitrous oxide.

Growing up, Jennelle loved going to the dentist and she loved her Dental Hygienist. She wants to be the reason why someone looks forward to going to the dentist. 

Jennelle enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family.  She also likes to hike and loves being around water.

Kelsey Pennington

Front Desk Concierge

Kelsey is a graduate of Big Walnut High School.

Kelsey loves working at North Star Family Dental because of the people she works with and all of our wonderful patients.

When she is not working hard in the office, Kelsey enjoys spending time with her dogs, hiking, and exploring new places.

Nataya Kimble

Dental Hygienist

Nataya graduated from The Ohio State University. She holds specialty certifications and licenses in Local Anesthesia, Nitrous, and CPR.

Nataya chose a career in dentistry because she is passionate about oral health and loves helping patients feel comfortable and confident. 

When she is not working hard in the office, you can find Nataya spending time outside, traveling, and enjoying quality time with her friends and family. 

Janel Clay 

Dental Assistant

Janel joined the Northstar team in 2020. She is a graduate of Columbus State Community College.   Additionally, she is licensed in Radiology and is CPR certified.

Janel loves working in the medical field because she loves to help others in need.  

When she isn’t working, Janel enjoys baking, hiking and learning about health and nutrition.

Kelsie Strother

Dental Hygienist

Kelsie has had a passion for teeth ever since she had braces as a child. 

Graduated from The Ohio Sate University in 2018 where she completed her undergrad and hygiene school.  Additionally, she holds a specialty E.F.D.A license.

Kelsie loves to help patients feel confident about their smile and to educate patients about their oral health.

Kelsie was a cheerleader at The Ohio Sate University.  In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling and she loves to spend time with her little toy poodle, Bear.

Ashley Johnson

Dental Assistant

Ashley graduated from Eastland Fairfield Career Center and holds specialty certifications and licenses in CODA.

Ashley chose a career in dentistry because she loves helping patients by improving their smiles and boosting their confidence. 

When not at work, you’ll find Ashley listening to music, baking and spending time with her dog. 

Claire Feng

_{Sterilization Assistant}

Claire joined the Northstar Family Dental team in 2020.  She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Minor in Business from The Ohio State University. Claire is currently taking a gap year and applying to dental schools.

Claire chose a career in dentistry because she loves the positive impact dentists could bring! When her sister got crowns as a kid, the dental office made her so excited for the visits (even though she was getting crowns). I love the patient-doctor relationship and making direct, holistic impacts on the community.

Her favorite part of the job is working with a team that is so encouraging while also learning/being exposed to dentistry during my gap year.

Claire enjoys photography, eating with friends, taking walks, and spending quality time with her friends and family!

Amber Diles

Dental Assistant

Amber graduated from Pleasant High School in 2013 and First Impressional Dental Assistant School in 2014. She holds specialty certifications and licenses in Radiology and Monitoring Nitrous. 

Amber chose a career in dentistry because she always notices people’s smiles when first meeting them. By becoming a Dental Assistant she gets to help people with their teeth and she loves to see people gain confidence by having healthy, happy teeth. 

Amber enjoys spending time with her two kids, her husband and her dog.  They love to explore new parks!

Kate Borden

Scheduling Coordinator

Kate joined the Northstar Family Dental team in 2019. She graduated from First Impressions Dental Assistant School in 2018. 

Kate loved going to the dentist when she was a child and she wants to make other people feel the same way. 

Her favorite part of her job is welcoming new patients to the office and making them feel comfortable. 

Kate has a green thumb and loves to collect plants in her spare time.  She also enjoys going on hikes with her dogs.

Bev Young

Concierge

Bev started with Northstar Family Dental in 2020.  She has a Bachelors degree in Business Management.  She loves working with people and making them feel comfortable and at ease.  When you meet Bev, you will also feel comfortable and at ease – she is a great addition to the front desk! 

Bev loves spending time with her husband and family,  especially their EIGHT grandchildren. 

Steph DuBois

Marketing Director | Brand Strategist

Steph graduated from Ohio Dominican University with a Visual Communications degree.  She has over 15 years experience assisting local businesses with their marketing and graphic design needs.

Steph is new to the dental world but fell in love with the positive, warm environment at North Star Family Dental.  She loves working for a local, female-owned small business which shares her core beliefs in giving back to the community and provides honest, quality services.

In her spare time, Steph enjoys going on scooter/bike rides with her kids, spending time with her husband and taking her two dogs on walks.  She loves yoga, reading books and hanging out with her family and freinds. 

Jes Strouse

E.F.D.A

Jes graduated from The Ohio State University College off Dentistry for E.F.D.A

She holds specialty certifications and licenses in Radiology, Expanded function dental auxiliary, Coronal Polishing and is a member of the Ohio EFDA association. 

Jes loves helping people get healthier by improving oral health and helping people achieve their aesthetic goals. 

When not working, Jes loves to travel, play golf, and go to concerts. She also loves to spend time with her fiance, her son and her cats.