Meet Our Caring Doctors

Amanda was born and raised in Florissant, MO, and graduated in 2010 from Duchesne High School. Her interest in dentistry was sparked at a young age as she underwent several years of her own orthodontic treatment.  In high school, she shadowed at a general dental office and at eighteen years old, she was hired as a dental assistant.  After two years of assisting, Amanda applied for dental hygiene school and was accepted into St. Louis Community College- Forest Park.

Immediately after graduating from the dental hygiene program in 2015, Amanda was hired to work with Dr. Andrew at Hilltown Dental. Early in her career, Dr. Carissa introduced Amanda to a childhood friend of hers, they began dating and eventually got married.  Amanda and her husband lived in Kansas City for nearly two years where they had their first child. In 2021, Amanda, her husband and their daughter moved back to St. Louis to be closer to her family and to re-join the Hilltown Dental team.

Amanda is licensed in local anesthetic and nitrous oxide administration. Her favorite aspect of dental hygiene is getting to know her patients on a personal level and observing their progress in oral health over the years. She has been previously involved in volunteer opportunities such as Give Kids a Smile and Missouri Mission of Mercy annual dental clinics.  

In her spare time, Amanda enjoys staying active by playing volleyball, exercise and other outdoor activities.  She loves spending time with her husband and daughter as well as her large extended family who all live in the area.

Kaitlyn is originally from St. Louis, MO, where she attended Notre Dame High School and graduated in 2010. As a young girl, she always loved going to the dentist and was fascinated by the equipment in the office. Her experiences in the dental chair inspired her to pursue a career in the field. After high school, Kaitlyn attended Missouri State University for two years before she was accepted into the Dental Hygiene Program at STLCC-Forest Park. In 2017, she graduated as a Registered Dental Hygienist with certificates in Local Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide Administration.  

Kaitlyn finds fulfillment in her career and says that her favorite part of being a hygienist is that she loves giving patients confidence in their smiles and enjoys educating them on how to maintain their oral health. She has volunteered her time in the past by participating in elementary school oral health presentations, Give Kids a Smile and the annual Missouri Mission of Mercy dental clinic.

Outside of the dental office, Kaitlyn, her husband Tony and their son Brady enjoy camping at various Missouri state parks and spending time with their families. 

Kayla is originally from St. Charles, MO, where she attended Francis Howell Central High School. Since she was a teenager, Kayla knew she wanted to be a dental hygienist. After high school, she applied for and was accepted into STLCC - Forest Park for the dental assisting program and graduated in 2010. For years, she worked as an oral surgery assistant and loved her job, but never forgot her original dream of becoming a dental hygienist. In 2015, she was accepted into STLCC - Forest Park yet again, and graduated two years later, this time as a Registered Dental Hygienist. Kayla joined the Chesterfield Hilltown Team in May of 2017.

Kayla also has her certificate in Local Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide Administration and is currently a member of the Missouri Dental Hygienist Association, and the Greater St. Louis Dental Hygienist Association.

Alongside exercising her skills in educating patients regarding oral healthcare and gum disease, Kayla loves getting to know all of her patients on a personal and professional level. She has a passion for helping others and volunteering in the community to help those in need.

Kayla currently lives in Defiance, MO, with her husband Jason, son Lane, daughter Evelyn and their dog Mazie. They love to be active outdoors but are also content snuggling up to a good movie. She also enjoys playing board games and spending time with family. They love to travel when they get the chance and strive to road trip to different national parks as the kids get older.

Shelby is a certified dental assistant, who was born and raised in Troy, MO. In 2014, she began her career after training at the Laurel Institute for Dental Assistants.  She joined the Chesterfield Hilltown Dental team in June of 2020 and has provided great service and care to our patients. 

Shelby was inspired by her childhood dental office to work in the field of dentistry as an adult. “The relationships they made with their patients by creating positive and informative dental experiences made me realize that THIS is what I want to do for the rest of my life!” After finishing her dental assistant training, Shelby worked in a pediatric dental office where she served children and their families for several years. Next, she left the pediatric office to assist a general dentist at a practice located much closer to home. “Working in dentistry is fulfilling because I get to make personal connections with our patients. I also love helping to transform their oral health and esthetics of their smiles.”

In her free time, Shelby enjoys playing with her two young children, traveling, dancing, yoga and music.  

Sheryl grew up in a small town called Pocahontas, IL. She graduated from Greenville high school in 2012 and attended Kaskaskia College for her dental assistant training and started her career shortly thereafter.  Sheryl has been a member of the Hilltown Dental family since March of 2020 and has been a great asset to our team, working alongside our doctors. 

Sheryl was motivated by her childhood dentist to take care of others the way that she and her family were taken care of, growing up. “If anyone in my family needed treatment done, our problems were fixed and the procedures were painless! We always left the office with smiles on our faces.”

When asked what she enjoys about dentistry, Sheryl said, “I absolutely love my career. Dentistry has been such a blessing in my life. I enjoy coming to work every single day and love seeing my smiling patients! People put their oral health needs in our hands and when they leave their appointment happy and healthy...it’s the best feeling!” Sheryl’s favorite procedures to assist involve cosmetic cases from start to finish. “Seeing the transformation, a patient makes with not only their smile, but their confidence, is indescribable.”

Sheryl enjoys spending time (especially outdoors) with her four-year-old son Jaime and their dog Franklin. She says that they are the biggest blessings in her life. Attending church, playing slow-pitch softball, traveling, and watching Jaime grow and learn new things each day are just a few of her favorite things.  

Chris is our most familiar face in the office, as she has been with Hilltown Dental since 1988. She is originally from, and still resides south of Festus, Missouri and attended Festus High School. She has had an interest in the dental field for as long as she can remember and even has memories of pulling classmates’ loose teeth at recess as a young child! Before transitioning to the front office, Chris was a dental assistant for 17 years which plays a valuable role in her current position.

Chris joined our practice with the former owner, Dr. Handler, immediately after graduating from Missouri College for Dental Assisting in 1988.  She married her high school sweetheart six months later and together, she and her husband have a son, a daughter, three grandchildren, a cat and several chickens.

When she is not dedicating her time to the practice and our patients, Chris enjoys car shows, going to rummage sales, volunteering at her church, working in the yard and spending time with her family. Her favorite part of her job is the patient interaction she gets on a daily basis.

Judy has been a member of the Hilltown Dental team since 2021 but began her career in dentistry in 1979. Originally from Wentzville, MO, Judy graduated from Pattonville High School in 1981 before attending UMSL. She was a dental assistant for nearly 10 years before transitioning into a practice managing role in 1989. Since then, she has worked on the administrative side in several dental offices near St. Louis and in Colorado.  

Judy states, “I’ve always been interested in healthcare.  When I was in high school, I answered an ad for an on-the-job training position to be a dental assistant and I fell in love from there!”

Her favorite part of her career as a Patient Care Coordinator is her interaction with patients and getting to know each one with genuine and honest concern for their well-being.

Judy is certified in OSHA, HIPAA and CPR. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, spectator sports and card games. Judy’s favorite pastime is hanging out with her family which includes her parents, siblings, twelve nieces and nephews and a blonde six-year-old cocker spaniel named Louie.