Introducing the Team at Austin Periodontics and Implantology
We are honored to serve you and the Austin community.
Caryl Tieken, BA – Team Leader
Caryl is a native Texan, born and raised in Floresville, TX (a small rural town 30 miles south of San Antonio). She earned her bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology and Community Health from Texas A&M University (but don’t hold it against her!). She improved her life by moving from Houston to Austin in May of 2006 (of course – the beauty, the outdoors, live music – who can resist?). Caryl enjoys spending her free time running around Lady Bird Lake, reading, gardening and taking her three dogs to the dog park and Barton Springs. She has managed top spas and salons in San Antonio, Houston and Austin for the past 20 years. Because of her background, Caryl is an invaluable part of our team whose ability to facilitate an exceptional experience for both our patients and our team is unparalleled in healthcare. “When I experienced the culture of genuine sincerity of every member of the team, there was no question that I’m in the right place.”
Whitney Rankin – Schedule Coordinator
Whitney was originally from Round Rock, however she calls Austin her true home – after all, there is always something to do here, most of her family lives here, and it’s hot most of the year, so the lake is usually the best place to hang out! In her spare time Whitney loves to spend time with her newborn son, go dancing, karaoke, go to comedy clubs, swim and go to the lake with her friends and family. As a Patient Admin Coordinator, Whitney truly enhances both the patients and team’s experience with her genuine care and sincerity. She is a true asset to the culture of the practice. “I love being part of a team that sincerely aspires to help and educate our patients.”
Noël Conley, BA – Patient Care Coordinator
Noel is a California girl – growing up in San Diego. She came to Austin for school and decided to make it her new permanent home because of the people and the weather. She earned a degree in Art from Santa Monica College and has about 6 years experience in the hospitality industry, specifically hotel and casino services (including the Bellagio in Las Vegas!). In her spare time she enjoys tennis, sky diving, camping, yoga, hiking, racing cars and hanging out with friends on Lake Travis. “I feel that the team is one big family and my joy comes from assisting the patients any way that I can to ensure that their experience is enjoyable.”
Beth Freach, BA – Patient Care Coordinator
Beth came to Austin from Wichita, Kansas with her new husband. She graduated from Kansas State with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She enjoys Austin because it’s perfect for being outdoors where she loves swimming and camping. She also likes cooking in her spare time. “My professional enjoyment is being in a fun environment where the team sincerely works to improve every single day. I love that our everyday job is help make people’s smiles even better!”
Cindy Smith, BA, RDA
Cindy is a native Texan from Dallas who moved to San Marcos and graduated from Southwest Texas State University (Now Texas State) with a BA in Theater and a minor in Media Studies. After graduation, she moved to Austin because she loved the atmosphere and the great people. She is married with a daughter and son and enjoys sewing, specifically creating and making costumes, photography, boxing and spending time with her family. Cindy is exceptional in all aspects of the practice, both administratively and now as an assistant. We have received many compliments over the years about how personable and professional she is – take it from us, it is authentically Cindy! “I love being a part of this practice - specifically because of the support and compassion we provide to our patients and referrals.”
Ade Chu, BS, RDA
Ade is a traveler. She grew up in both New York and Austin and has been around the world. She has been in Austin for the past 14 years, earning her BS with a Summa Cum Laude honors degree in Communication Studies with a Minor in Business from The University of Texas. She also studied abroad for one semester in Shanghai! In addition to traveling, she spends her free time reading, trying new restaurants, doing photography, and relaxing with her friends. You can always hear Ade singing or humming along to the music! As a Patient Treatment Coordinator, Ade has the unique ability to integrate systems and processes which help create an extraordinary experience for our patients. “I love seeing our patients so happy after their procedures are complete. I am always energized by the education we provide to patients and to other dental professionals.”
Lourdes Garcia, RDA – Surgical Tech
Lourdes is native Texan from Brownsville. She moved to Austin because of the hills, lakes, parks and all of the outdoor activities that Austin allows. As gentle and soft spoken as she is, Lourdes, along with her daughter, are in a competitive kick-ball league, where she is tough as nails! Lourdes is the rock of our practice – truly. She is an inspiration to the rest of the team, with her work ethic, reliability, and great attitude. “Absorbing all of the new therapies and techniques along with our continuing education excites me every day.”
Roger Telles, BS, RDA
Roger is Austin born and reared. He received his surgical assistant training at Austin Community College and received his Bachelor’s of Science in Biology with a minor in Mathematics at Texas State University in San Marcos. Roger is a certified Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery Anesthesia Tech. Despite his extensive surgical assistant training, he loves to continue to learn new surgical modalities. In his spare time he enjoys playing basketball, paintball, kickboxing, weight training and gardening. He's also a former professional breakdancer! “It excites and inspires me to know that I am part of the best Periodontics surgical team in Austin, if not Texas. I enjoy working on the rare and difficult cases and seeing how happy our patients are with the outcomes.”
Mary Barron, BS, RDH
Mary grew up between Edinburg, Texas and Fresno, California. She received her hygiene training at Austin Community College and completed her Bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene at Northern Arizona University. Mary and her spouse, Victor, love the diversity seen here in Austin. In her spare time, Mary enjoys reading, continuing her education (she is actually addicted to school!) working out, outdoor activities and just relaxing and enjoying life. She and Victor are proud parents of their newborn son. As the leader of our periodontal hygiene department, she has helped to create one of the première periodontal health systems in the country. “I love the team dynamics and the close relationships I have developed with our patients, referrals, and other team members.”
Lesley Rekieta, BS, RDH
Lesley is a native Texan from Corsicana. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with a minor in business from UT, Austin. She went on to receive her hygiene training at Austin Community College. She loves the small-town feel of Austin where she enjoys Barton Springs, the Green Belt, Zilker Park, Town Lake (okay – Lady Bird Lake!) and all of the great restaurants. Besides being outdoors, Lesley enjoys living downtown and working out (she was a former personal trainer). Lesley is meticulous but gentle, a rare quality. “I gain great satisfaction by sharing my knowledge with patients. My satisfaction comes from working with patients to achieve oral health, and I love coming to work with great doctors and exceptional team members.”
Kelly Lott, BS, RDH
Kelly is not a native Texan, but comes to us from New Mexico. She graduated at the top of her class from the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio – earning her Bachelor’s of Science degree in dental hygiene. Since moving to Austin, she, her husband and daughter love the diverse activities that Austin has to offer, including live music and sports. “My joy comes from the same diversity in our patient population – and my satisfaction in knowing that I can help achieve each one’s goals in such a supportive environment.”