Meet The Team
Leonda
Dental Hygienist
Leonda is new to the practice and we are very happy to have her! She has been working as a hygienist for 10 years and enjoys educating patients about effective methods for optimal oral health. Patients are always very complimentary on how thorough her cleanings are! Her educational background and professional endeavors include public health and teaching. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, comedy, and good food (especially authentic Mexican!).
Mary Ann
Mary Ann has been the one giving our patients a professional cleaning for over 25 years! She is from Louisville and received her degree in Dental Hygiene from the University of Louisville, so she has been a Cards fan for most of her life. Mary Ann has been blessed with 2 amazing children, Tara and Tim, with her devoted husband, Terry. In her free time, Mary Ann loves to volunteer and sing in the choir at her church, St. James. She stays active through her love of exercise, biking, and hiking. Mary Ann is such a health-nut that her favorite food is all different kinds of vegetables!Mary Ann found a passion to be a Dental Hygienist for her interest in teeth, the relationships she is able to make with her patients, and she says she can’t complain about the work schedule. She loves being able to clean a patient’s teeth and see the health return to their gums so if you need another reason for a cleaning than just good oral health, get one for Mary Ann’s happiness.
Gretchen
Dental Assistant
Gretchen has enjoyed a career of being a dental assistant for the past 31 years and we have been lucky enough to have her at our practice for the last eight! She has been happily married for 41 years to her husband Michael and they have one daughter, Rachel, who has given them four beautiful grandchildren: Eli, Whylie, Isaiah, and Jericho. She is from Chestnut Ridge, New York so naturally her favorite food is a big slice of New York style pizza! Gretchen was inspired to become a dental assistant when she took a jewelry making class in high school. Her teachers commended her ability to work with minute details and suggested she pursue a career in the dental field. Before becoming an assistant Gretchen worked as a dental lab tec! After working in a dental lab, Gretchen decided she wanted more patient interaction and received her Expanded Duties Dental Assistant (EDDA) license! Gretchen loves her job because of her fascination with teeth and her ability to help improve patients’ quality of life. When Gretchen isn’t in the office, she can be found making exquisite artwork because her attention to small details doesn’t end with jewelry and teeth!
Mary
Mary is originally from Danville, KY and started dental assisting in 1987 at an office in Louisville where she worked for over 30 years. She says that even though she lived in Louisville for many years that you “can take the girl out of the country, but can’t take the country out of the girl”! She tried to retire from assisting in 2021, but loved being around patients so much she had to come back! Mary moved to Jeffersonville in 2020 and started working at this practice in 2021 after a few months of “retirement”. Mary loves how dentistry makes people smile when they see the outcome of their treatment! She enjoys spending her free time outdoors camping and gardening, and with her five grandchildren.
Dena
Dental Assistant/Office Manager
Dena has been helping keep our patients’ smiles wide as a Dental Assistant and Office Manager for 6 years now! She grew up in Campbellsburg, Indiana with her two brothers and two sisters. She has two children, James and Mylan, and has been married to her loving husband, Harry for three years now. She is an absolute adrenaline junkie that loves to go on roller coasters, explore haunted houses, and she can’t wait to go skydiving! The Cheesecake Factory is Dena’s favorite restaurant where she can be seen with a large piece of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup cheesecake. Dena is passionate about her job because of the feeling she gets when a patient leaves happy with their newly improved smile and she enjoys how clean the office is due to the lack of children (sorry James and Mylan).
Pam
Office Manager
Pam is the first bright smile you’ll see when you walk into our practice. She just recently joined our team in May of 2018 but it’s hard to imagine life without her! Pam grew up in New Albany, Indiana so she doesn’t have to stray too far from her roots to get to work in the morning. She has been married for 21 years to her wonderful husband, Walter. When Pam isn’t delighting us with her vibrant personality, she enjoys bird watching and book collecting, and she says she has the “Garfield gene” which causes her favorite food to be lasagna! She is also quite the philanthropist and loves to donate her time and talents to Open Door Youth Services to help provide a positive and caring atmosphere for underprivileged children in our community. In her 44-year career within dental offices, Pam is most passionate about her job because she loves connecting with multiple generations of the same family that receive care from our team. It warms her heart to see long-time patients. Be sure to schedule a cleaning every six months so you can catch up with Pam!
Jeanie
We have been lucky to have Jeanie at the practice for the past 60 years! She has been here managing the office for 27 years when Dr. Purlee was the owner of the practice, and then with Dr. Richard for 32 years after he purchased the practice in 1991. At first, Jeanie wanted to become a nurse, however when Dr. Purlee called down to the Dean’s office at her high school looking for strong candidates for employees, they recommended Jeanie and she has been with us ever since.She is married to her amazing husband Larry, and has two handsome grandsons, Luke and Drake. She loves to bake, create arts and crafts, read romance/mystery novels, and especially enjoys going on cruises in her spare time. Jeanie is most passionate about her career because of who she gets to work with each and every day. She loves conversing with patients and coworkers so much that she feels as if she’s spending time with extended family while she is at work.
Patti
Patti has been at the practice for a little over a year, but has worked in dentistry for the past 30 years! She’s especially skilled in accounting, insurance coordination, and scheduling! Patti was born in Louisville and has lived in the area all her life. She has a love for all animals and has a collection of critters living at her house – ask her about them when you call the office! She says her favorite animal is her pet chinchillas! Patti is very artistic and loves decorating and crafting. Her favorite food is anything chocolate and her motto is “life is short, eat dessert first!”.
Kimberly
Front Desk
Kimberly is the first brilliant smile you’ll see when you walk into our practice. She just recently joined our team in May of 2024. Kimberly grew up in Lebanon, Ky. She has been happily married since 2017 to her husband Nick, and they have one son, Grayson. She has a love for Dark Chocolate and a Great Steak Dinner, but Derby pie is a favorite of hers. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling to warm places with beaches.
Claudia
Expanded Duties Dental Assistant
Claudia is one of the recent additions to the office! Originally from Paoli, Indiana, Claudia attended Carris college in Jeffersonville to receive her certification as an expanded duties dental assistant (EDDA). One of Claudia’s favorite things to do at work is place fillings for patients! She also loves staying up-to-date on the latest trends and materials through continuing education! Claudia always has a smile on her face at the office and loves to chat with patients to put them at ease. Claudia is VERY crafty and can make just about anything – balloon arches, vinyl signs, and sewing projects! She even makes the personalized T-shirts you’ll see the team wear around the office. When Claudia is away from the office, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and you may see her serving at the Clarksville Longhorns Steakhouse on the weekends.
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Testimonials
"I never write reviews but I had to this time! Dr. Julia Jenkins Dawson and her staff are truly in the business of helping people. I’m so happy I finally found a dentist I can trust to give me honest feedback, affordable solutions and ease-of-mind from start to finish! Her and her staff’s expertise, friendliness and efficiency really make going to the dentist as pain-free as possible. Never thought I’d look forward to going back to the dentist like I do now! Great work!"
"Dr. Jenkins Dawson is professional, detail oriented, and friendly. My family and I have used her as our dentist for years and have only good things to say. A doctor you can trust and relax around. Highly recommend."
"Dr. Julia Jenkins Dawson and her staff are great. Very friendly and professional. They make the dental experience very comfortable and easy. Leonda is the best hygienist I’ve ever had. She was so thorough. I’ve never had my teeth cleaned so well!"
"Dr. Jenkins Dawson is kind and compassionate, and takes the time to talk to and work with each patient. I have been very happy with her work and professionalism, and would recommend her to anyone!"