Membership – Heart of the City Dental in
Burnsville, Minnesota
Dr. Heidi Smith and Dr. Tanya Peterson provide cosmetic, restorative, and family dentistry all in one convenient location.
Membership
Dr. Heidi Smith and Dr. Tanya Peterson provide cosmetic, restorative, and family dentistry all in one convenient location.
• Hi! I’m Eriel, like the mermaid but spelled with an E.
• I graduated dental hygiene school in 2013 and I’ve been enjoying helping people keep their teeth healthy and bright since then.
• When I’m not cleaning teeth I love spending time with my son and my nieces and nephews, cooking up new recipes, gardening in the summer, and caring for my house plant collection year round.
• Hi, I’m Nancy. I have been married for 45 years and have two grown daughters, and two fury girls at home.
• I am now semi retired and enjoy spending a few days each week at HOTD.
• I enjoy spending time in my yard , going for walks with the “girls” and traveling at every opportunity.
• Hi there! My name is Maria and I reside in Inver Grove Heights with my amazing husband, two adorable kids, and two furry companions.
• When I’m not working, you’ll often find me tending to my vegetable garden or whipping up delicious meals in the kitchen with my little ones.
• We’re a family that loves to explore new places and create lasting memories through travel. I’ve been passionate about dental care since I started working at a front desk when I was 18, and I’m thrilled to be a part of HOTCD. Can’t wait to connect with all of you! ❤️
• Hi! A little about me, I graduated from Mankato State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Science with a major in Community Health Education. This journey led to my passion of preventative healthcare, which eventually landed me into the dental admin field.
• I have a big love for animals and traveling. In my free time, I enjoy cooking and entertaining, watching movies at the local theatre and am currently learning to play pickle ball 🙂 I also love to watch stand-up comedy! I live in Chanhassen MN with my boyfriend, Aaron, and our 2 cats, Gus and Winnie. Born in Colorado, the mountains always have a special place in my heart!
Cheyanne is a native Minnesotan and has been a dental assistant for 24 yrs. You’ll find her to be super relatable and easy to talk to. She has a husband and 2 boys so of course she likes to cook and watch football. Cheyanne also enjoys hiking, gardening, traveling and is a huge Justin Bieber fan!
• Hi, My name is Gina and I look forward to meeting you!
• I managed Dental offices for over 33 years prior to recently joining Heart of the City Dental.
• I have been married for 34 years to my wonderful husband Gary. We have two wonderful beautiful kids, one granddaughter and another one on the way. Family is everything to me!
• For fun I love spending my time with my family, creating art, going golfing, walking and having appetizers on patios in the summer.
• I am truly passionate about helping our patients💜
• I’m Jinny and I have been in the dental field for about 3 years now with my interest in dentistry starting very young! I initially wanted to be in the clinical setting of dentistry but have found a passion working in administrative roles in healthcare, and I am currently continuing my education in Human Resources.
• My favorite part of my job is our patients. My goal is to make patients feel welcome, inclusive, and heard coming into the office. I also love our team! Working in dentistry I’ve seen how important it is to have a strong team, every role is so important and I’m happy to be a part of HOTCD!!
• In my time outside of work, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, reading, being in nature, a good sporting event, and the gym.
• I also have an orange cat named Hiro who I adore very much!
• Pasha started with Heart of the City Dental as a Financial Coordinator in June of 2022. Pasha has 7 years of experience working with patients. They are the reason she loves the field so much. Pasha loves spending her free time meditating, in nature, with her husband & fur babies and enjoying new adventures. She grew up in Illinois and is a huge Chicago Bears fan!
• I graduated from Century College with a degree in Dental assisting in 2014. I love my job because every day I see how we as a dental team are changing lives. I love the idea of problem-solving with my job. I feel like a detective 🕵️♀️.
• My husband Justin and I have been married since 2003. We have two kids, Addyson and Sterling. Sterling has special needs and has really taught me to love people better and become more empathetic to others. Life is truly a journey and sometimes you have to just embrace the ride.
• Working at HOTCD is truly a gift and blessing. I don’t HAVE to go to work every day, I GET to work every day with these amazing ladies.
• Kristin graduated from Normandale Community College with a degree in Dental Hygiene in 2012. Her passion is helping her patients maximize their oral hygiene by meeting each patient with where they’re at and customizing their home routine to set them up for success. Kristin lives in Apple Valley with her husband, son, and three cats. She values health and wellness, clean eating/cooking, and fitness. In her free time, she enjoys paddle boarding, yoga, camping, and listening to audio-books.
• I am from North Dakota and attended the North Dakota State College of Science, graduating In 1981 with my dental hygiene degree. I am fortunate to have practiced in a variety of dental settings including a state hospital for the disabled, orthodontics, cosmetic dentistry, and general dentistry. After forty-two years, I’m still passionate about dental hygiene and receive a great deal of personal satisfaction from the challenges and rewards dentistry offers.
• In my free time I enjoy snowshoeing, boating, hiking, traveling, photography, cooking, and spending time with family and friends. Staying active is a necessity in order to keep up with our young grandchildren.
• Jennifer has been a Dental Hygienist since 2005. She love working with patients and educating about gum health. A firm believer in the magic of a Showerflosser and coming up with a plan for what works best for each individual patient.
• For fun she and her daughter aim to find the adventure in life and can be found flying over Two Harbors on a helicopter ride in the summer or out rock hounding. She also loves gardening and has warned Noni that she is on speed dial this summer for advice.
• I graduated as a Dental Hygienist in 1971. Now I’m semi-retired but just not ready to say good-bye to the wonderful patients who have enriched my life for the last 30 years at Heart of the City Dental.
• I have more spare time now so I can use my dental experiences and skills by volunteering. I’ve participated with Operation Grace MN, Team Smile, Mission of Mercy, Give Kids a Smile, and Mission Outpost Dental Clinic. I’m very humbled helping people get dental access and always get back more than I ever give.
• Besides saving teeth, I help serve senior dogs. I foster and volunteer with Grey Face Rescue. We have two senior dogs that are enjoying their golden years in our home.
• Besides talking about teeth, I now talk about gardening. After a year of internship, I am a University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener in Dakota County.
• My hubby and I are empty nesters with 12 active grandchildren that keep the nest hopping.
• My name is Carlee and I live in Lakeville with my fiancé, Golden Retriever, and St. Bernard. I graduated from the University of St. Thomas in spring of 2022 where I attained my B.S degree in Biology and Public Health. Upon completion of my undergraduate degree, I knew I wanted to go back to school for a dental related degree. I am currently working towards my B.S of Dental Hygiene at Herzing University. In my free time, I love spending time at my parents lake cabin, wake-surfing, taking my dogs for walks, and spending time with my family and friends!
• Jenna and her husband Korbyn live in Burnsville with their standard poodle Izzie and two cats. When she’s not busy at the dental clinic Jenna can be found wearing vintage clothing that she loves scouring the local thrift and vintage shops for. She also enjoys swing dancing along with her friends bands, going to themed drag brunches, crafting and being outside in the sunshine walking, hiking or playing pickle ball!
• Jenna graduated from Normandale in 2012 and started her career off temping which really helped shape her into the hygienist she is today! What Jenna loves most about her job is connecting with patients and making them feel comfortable in her dental chair!
• I have been in the dental field for over 30 years and took a two year dental assisting course in high school. After ten years of assisting, I moved to the admin side of dental.
• I was born and raised in New York City. I moved to Minnesota 24 years ago and absolutely love it!
• I live in Apple Valley with my boyfriend, Rick. In our spare time, we like to go on motorcycle rides and enjoy country concerts.
• I graduated with a college degree in Dental Hygiene in 2013.
• I have two teenage boys at home that keep me busy. We like doing local activities as well as traveling around the states and the Caribbean together. I also have a fluffy tabby/ragdoll cat named Bella.
• Outside of work and mom-life, I enjoy traveling, cruises (I’ve been to 19 different islands), kayaking, snorkeling, yoga, summer, fairs/events, hiking, coffee, and red wine.
• I absolutely love learning new things. Whether it’s discovering a new dish in a cooking class, learning a new skill, or something in the dental field.
• I spend a lot of my free time doing independent research and attending lectures and courses to stay on top of the latest information in oral healthcare. It makes me so happy to be able to apply this knowledge daily so I can deliver the best care to my patients.
• I have been a Dental Assistant since 1995.
• I have been increasing my license with every opportunity available to me by the State of Minnesota.
• I’m looking forward to more advanced opportunities.
• I enjoy helping others by volunteering at organizations like Mission Outpost, Team Smile, and Mission of Mercy.
• I have a wonderful husband who loves to do all of the cooking, smoking, and grilling.
• I have had to be gluten-free since 2010 so we are always looking for new recipes, if you have any, please bring them in.
• I have a beautiful blended family and one grandchild with more to come.
• I enjoy working out, running races, bike riding, and hanging out with friends and family.
• I grew up in Wisconsin and I am a HUGE Green Bay Packers fan!
• I was raised in Farmington with my older sister. I started working at a local Dairy Queen at age 14. I worked there through high school and college. My D.Q. boss /owner was also a professor at Normandale Community College. We made a deal, if I worked nights and weekends, he would pay my tuition for the Dental Assisting Program. I took the deal.
• I graduated from Farmington High School in 1981 and Normandale in 1982. My sister and I, as well as our Shih Tzu/Bichon Zoey, share a townhome in Farmington. In my spare time, I enjoy fishing, boating, spending time with my friends and family, MN Gophers sports especially, hockey, and riding my scooter cycle “Buddy”.
• I have been a hygienist since 1988. I have known I wanted to be a hygienist since the 8th grade and was focused on making it my career.
• I am a big foodie and enjoy swapping recipes, trying new restaurants, and talking about food overall.
• Grew-up in Eagan and still live in Eagan.
• Have two cats (Yoshi and Jaxon).
• Have wanted to be an assistant since 6th grade and mentored in multiple dental practices during high school.
• Have two nieces (Macy and Ivy) and one nephew (Cameron).