Meet Our Team
Jessica Jackson, DMD
“Dr. Jackson”
Dr. Jackson graduated from OHSU in 2000 and has been practicing in the Eugene area since that time. She joined the SmileAlive team in 2022.
She is currently treating patients in our Springfield office only on Tuesday-Friday. We are excited to have her join our team and our patients will enjoy her warm, caring personality and her excellent dental care. She has a gentle touch and will make even the most apprehensive dental patient feel at ease. Dr. Jackson has three children and enjoys dance, hiking, gardening and reading.
Susan Anderson
Business Manager
Susan has two adult sons and one daughter-in-law. Her oldest son is an endodontist (a root canal specialist) in California and her younger son is a commercial real estate agent in Eugene. Susan has worked in dentistry for over 40 years and has been with the SmileAlive team since 2002.
She enjoys her relationships with the team, knowing together they are improving patients’ health and self image. She likes being part of a business that is making a positive contribution not only to their patients but to the community. When she is not at work, you can find her at the golf course or on the ballroom dance floor. She is part of a performance dance group here in Eugene and attends many local dances where she twirls and glides effortlessly on the dance floor. Susan is an excellent cook and enjoys hosting her family and friends and treating them to her culinary skills. Susan is very proud to be associated with a team of professionals who listen to patients and strive to provide the best care for each person.
Kris Bofto
Dental Hygienist
Kris and her husband, Brad, both grew up in Wenatchee, Washington but have lived in Eugene since 1992. They have 2 sons, 1 daughter, two daughters-in law and 2 amazing grandchildren. Kris has been in dentistry since 1976 and has been a hygienist since 1981.
She and Dr. Baarstad have known each other since 1994, as they worked together in another dental office before Dr. Baarstad went to dental school. Kris joined the Smile Alive team in 2006 and a favorite part of her job is not only helping her patients achieve and maintain good oral health with a gentle, compassionate touch but also getting to know her patients on a personal level. She looks forward to seeing them on a regular basis. Outside of the dental office she enjoys quilting, scrapbooking, cooking, reading and travel, but most of all she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren. Kris feels very blessed to work with an amazing group of professionals who sincerely care about each other and their patients.
Teri Douglas
Dental Hygienist
Teri has been with SmileAlive since 2013 and sees patients at both our Eugene and Springfield locations. She started in the dental field in 1996 working many years at the front office doing just about everything before deciding to attend Lane Community College and get her Dental Hygiene degree.
She loves building relationships with her patients and connecting with them on a personal level. Teri and her husband grew up in the Eugene/Springfield area and their family includes their daughter and their son and daughter-in-law. Since 2021, she is enjoying her new role as Grandma to her grandson. She is loving spending time with him on her days off. Teri is quite creative and enjoys scrap booking and sign making. Teri’s patients enjoy her fun, caring manner and her thoroughness in caring for their dental health needs.
Cari Tafolla
Treatment Coordinator- Eugene Office
Cari began her dental career in 2003, starting as a dental assistant and joined the SmileAlive team in 2014. Cari and her husband have 3 adult children and 1 grandson. Cari’s children have all recently moved away for some exciting adventures. Her oldest son has moved to Montana to fight fires and will be starting school in Arizona soon. Her middle son has joined the Marines and is serving our country and her daughter recently graduated from high school and is headed off to college soon.
Cari loves being able to interact with her patients and being able to play a critical role in creating the steps to move patients towards better dental health. She is a master at working with Insurance companies to help patients maximize their benefits. Outside of work hours Cari loves to travel, read and walk her dog.
Teri Schendel
Treatment Coordinator- Springfield Office
Teri and her husband, Byron, have 3 adult children, 3 grandsons and two granddaughters.
Teri has been a part of the SmileAlive team since 2012 but she has been in the dental field since 2002, all of it at our Springfield location. She worked for the dentist who previously practiced at our Springfield office and she is a huge asset to the practice and has many long standing relationships with the patients. She really enjoys helping our patients and works hard dealing with their insurance making sure they get the most out of their benefits. Outside of the office, Teri loves spending time with her grandchildren, camping, kayaking and being at the Oregon Coast.
Victoria George
Treatment Coordinator- Eugene Office
Victoria has been in dentistry since 1996 and joined the SmileAlive team in 2020.
She has 4 adult children and 3 grandchildren. Victoria also has Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Abbey and Bentley. In her spare time, she likes to golf, run, walk her dogs and relax spending time outdoors and Bar B Queuing. Her dream vacation would be a trip to Italy! Victoria’s warm smile and positive demeanor helps to put patients at ease.
Tina Shelton
Treatment Coordinator- Springfield Office
Tina has been in dentistry since 1991, spending her first 30+ years chairside as a dental assistant, recently transitioning to working in the front office. She joined SmileAlive in 2022.
Because of her long time dental assisting experience, Tina is a great addition to our front office team as she has been chairside and can easily explain procedures to patients, answer their questions and put them at ease. She is always looking for ways to improve and make her work environment as positive as possible for her co workers and for our patients. She believes dentistry is all about the patient and their care and she strives to ensure they feel well cared for. In her spare time she enjoys camping, hiking, kayaking as well as paper crafting, reading and baking.
Brandie Smith
Dental Assistant- Expanded Functions Dental Assistant
Brandie has been at SmileAlive since 2015 and has been in the dental field since 2005. One of her favorite parts being a dental assistant is being able to see the transformations in her patients after they complete their dental work.
She believes that for patients who may be apprehensive about dental treatment that the hardest part may be walking through the door and that the anticipation is almost always worse than the actual treatment. Brandie strives to make each patient feel comfortable and cared for by listening to their needs and concerns. She feels very fortunate to work with a team of professionals that feel like family. Brandie has a large extended family and they enjoy getting together often for dinners, camping and Bar B Ques. In 2022, Brandie added the title of Grandma to her resume with the birth of her first grandson. She grew up in the Eugene/Springfield area and loves raising her family and working here.
Katie Gallegos
Expanded Functions Dental Assistant
Katie obtained her dental assistant degree in 2020 and has been with the SmileAlive team since 2022.
She grew up in Texas, moving to Oregon after finishing high school. Katie knew she wanted to work in the dental field as she loves helping people restore their teeth, maintain their oral health and have a beautiful confident smile. She understands that coming to the dentist can be difficult for some people and her calm, gentle manner helps to lessen their anxiety. Katie is also a licensed aesthetician and when she is not at the dental office she is working at her salon applying eyelashes. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, rollerskating, crocheting and binge watching television with her boyfriend and 2 cats.