Meet Our Team

Dr. Russell Kearl

B. Sc., D.D.S.

Dr. Kearl received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Alberta. He is very motivated to be working on learning the latest advancements in dentistry. Dr. Kearl excels in and enjoys the field of implants and doing difficult restorative work. He's great with kids and adults too. It is a rare day that you do not hear Dr. Kearl's sound effects while he is working on patients. He has a passion for all things fast and all things outdoors, His latest passions are Fat Biking and Pickle Ball. When he's not on a mountain bike, he can usually be found playing with his wife and 3 kids.

Dr. Luke Hawkins

B. Sc., D.M.D.

"My goal is to meet the needs of this community while promoting the best possible oral health"

Dr. Hawkins was raised in Victoria, BC and completed his dental training at the UBC Faculty of Dentistry. His relaxed style creates a welcoming atmosphere for patients of all ages and all paths of life. For Dr. Luke, it's a high priority to stand behind the quality of his work. In his free time you may see him snowboarding at the local mountains or hiking our network of Shuswap trails.

Dr. Janine De Klerk

B. Sc., D.D.S

Dr. De Klerk received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Western University. She spent her early years in Lytton before making the move to Maple Ridge, and more recently, Campbell River. However, it was Dr. De Klerk's love for the BC Interior that drew her to Salmon Arm. With a dedication to learning and staying current in the field of dentistry, Dr. De Klerk is committed to offering the latest advancements in oral health care. She takes special pride in delivering high-quality treatment that is tailored to your unique needs. When she's not reminding her patients to floss, Dr. De Klerk can be found hiking, paddle boarding, and skiing.

Robbie

R.D.H

Robbie was born and raised in Salmon Arm. She graduated from the Dental Hygiene program in Prince George in 2014 and has been at Salmon Arm Dental ever since! Robbie's priorities include providing each patient with a high standard of thorough quality care, helping them reach and maintain their oral health goals and ensuring they have a positive experience while in her care. When Robbie isn't at work she is busy being a mom - chasing her toddler around! In her spare time she enjoys camping, trying a new recipe and spending time with her family, friends and crazy chocolate labs!

Ashley

D.H.P

Ashley graduated in 2013 from the Dental Hygiene program at University of Alberta in her hometown Edmonton, Alberta. She went on to become a Dental Hygiene Practitioner. Ashley strives to provide exemplary care for and build personal relationships with her clients. She loves to chat about travel so make sure you tell her about your next adventure! You can find her out hiking, boating, paddle boarding, skiing, running or enjoying a good glass of wine. Ashley works casually in our office as she is also an interior designer!

Niki

D.H.P

Niki was born and raised in Vernon. She received her Dental Hygiene Diploma from the College of New Caledonia in Prince George. After working in Northern BC for a few years as a new graduate, she made her way to Salmon Arm and has loved calling it home for the last 5 years now. In her free time Niki enjoys tending to her veggie garden, tinkering around the house and exploring new waterfalls with her new fur baby! Recently, Niki has completed her Dental Hygiene Degree and is now a Dental Hygiene Practitioner!

Lindsay

R.D.H

Lindsay was born and raised in Salmon Arm. She ventured off to the big city of Prince George to obtain her diploma in Dental Hygiene, but also managed to land the man of her dreams! The two love birds moved back to Lindsay’s old stomping grounds, and soon started their family of 4! Peyton & Lincoln are the light of Lindsay’s life! When Lindsay isn’t at her station, she spends her summers coaching baseball & downhill biking and hits up SilverStar’s ski trails in the winter!

Silke

R.D.H.

After what felt like many years of post secondary schooling, including finishing her Bachelors degree in Biochemistry from UBCO and finishing her dental diploma from Vancouver Community College Silke finally started her dream career. She loves the preventative aspect of dental hygiene and feels fortunate to be educating her patients about good oral health. When Silke is not at work she spends lots of time cycling, camping, hiking and spending time with her family and dog Cocoa.

Gabrielle

R.D.H.

Gabrielle was raised in Kamloops. She received her Dental Hygiene Diploma from Vancouver Community College, and from there headed out to Salmon Arm to be with her wonderful fiancé. She strives to make her patients feel cared for and comfortable, while promoting good oral health and helping patients reach their goals! Gabrielle enjoys being outdoors, baking and spending time with her family and friends. In her down time you can find her snuggling her kitten and reading a good book!

Brittany

C.D.A.

Brittany was born in Enderby, and has lived between Enderby and Salmon Arm her entire life. She started her career in Certified Dental Assisting over 10 years ago. Brittany’s passion for dentistry encouraged her to broaden her scope of practice and complete additional training in dentistry. When Brittany isn’t zooming around the office you will find her enjoying the outdoors taking photos of the wildlife, or spending time with her Husband and 3 dogs on their acreage.

Dawn

C.D.A.

Dawn graduated from College of New Caledonia Dental Assisting program in 2006. Dawn received the Henry Schein Ash Arcona professionalism award and is nationally certified with 14 years of dental experience. Dawn grew up in Salmon Arm and enjoys running and spending time with her family.

Jill

C.D.A.

Jill was born in Salmon Arm and has been in the dental industry for over 35 years. She enjoys ringette, slo-pitch, biking, hiking, boating, camping and spending time with family and friends. Jill is often found enjoying time with her first grandson!

Kaila

C.D.A

Kaila grew up in Salmon Arm and attended Okanagan College where she completed her Certified Dental Assisting program in 2022. Kaila enjoyed her time living on a farm and took pride in her chickens but has recently moved to Sicamous where she is learning new places to adventure by living in a different area of the Shuswap!

Jaylyn

C.D.A

Jaylyn was born in Manitoba but grew up here in Salmon Arm and calls it home. She graduated from College of the Rockies in 2015. She enjoys talking with patients and helping them understand their treatment options. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, camping, and keeping up with her 2 year old daughter!

Abdel

C.D.A

Abdel was born in Syria and has been in Canada since 2016. He graduated from the Dental Assisting program at Okanagan College in 2023. Abdel aspires to continue his education and become a Dentist. Outside of dentistry, he enjoys driving, navigating the stunning landscapes of the Okanagan/Shuswap region constantly seeking out new and captivating destinations!

Olivia

Chairside Assistant

Oliva is originally from Calgary, but has been living in the Okanagan/Shuswap area for 10 years. She spent a lot of time in dental offices over the years which sparked her interest in joining the world of dentistry where she can now help others! She plans to further her education and attend the Certified Dental Assisting program in the future. When Olivia is not busy assisting, she is spending time with her family, wake surfing our amazing lakes, playing hockey, in the gym chasing waterfalls or traveling to new places!

Steph

Chairside Assistant

Steph was born and raised in Salmon Arm. She moved to Alberta and started dental reception 10 years ago. her passion for the dental field continues to grow as her role in the office is here there and everywhere. Never know if Steph will be up front to greet you with her smile or assisting one of our wonderful dentists. Steph has left us temporarily as she just had her second baby! We look forward to her return!

Brooklyn

Chairside Assistant

Brooklyn is a newer face at Salmon Arm Dental and we are so lucky to have her! She grew up in the Shuswap/Okanagan area and loves exploring every inch of the land! Brooklyn graduated from high school in 2022 and is looking forward to learning all that there is to learn in the dental world! When she isn't in the office you can find Brooklyn trotting around town trying to find the next best cheesecake! Brooklyn has been accepted to complete her Certified Dental Assisting at Okanagan College, and we look forward to her returning with new knowledge in the spring!

Kiya

Chairside Assistant

Meet Kiya! Kiya moved up to the beautiful Shuswap from White Rock! Traded the ocean for the lake. Kiya likes to spend her time Kayaking with her two dogs Mabel and Jasper. Kiya has been accepted to complete her Certified Dental Assisting at Okanagan College, and we look forward to her returning with new knowledge in the spring!

Harley

Sterilization Tech

Harley has lived in the Shuswap/Okanagan area for 7 years now but grew up in a small town in Saskatchewan. She recently joined the Salmon Arm Dental Team because of her interest in learning about dentistry! In her spare time she enjoys reading, going on hike with her dog and spending time with family!

Samantha

Sterilization Tech

Meet Samantha, a newer face to Salmon Arm Dental. She moved here with her partner from small town Entwistle, Alberta!

Wendy

Executive Assistant

Wendy grew up in Alberta and would often come to the Shuswap with friends for vacations, thinking that whoever lived here was so lucky. Well fast forward to 1995 and as luck would have it, her husband's job had them relocate to beautiful Salmon Arm. Wendy has over 14 years of experience in a dental office and truly enjoys each and every day at Salmon Arm Dental. She loves dirt biking and crossfit and spending time with her husband and four amazing kids (whenever they are home).

Taryn

Reception

Taryn grew up in Salmon Arm, She is an absolute joy and a wonderfully happy face to greet you as you come in our front door. She loves meeting new people and wishes she could grasp the intricacies of Pickle Ball. She has worked in a number of locations as a Medical Office Assistant but decided that dental was more her passion.

Mandi

Reception

Mandi is another local girl, having grown up in the Shuswap. Mandi has been greeting our patients with her bright smile for over a year now! When she is not in the office you can find her spending time with her family, rock climbing, or enjoying the outdoors.

Stephanie

Reception

Some of you may recognize this face! After 4 short years, Stephanie has returned to the reception area! Steph grew up in Enderby and now lives in Grindrod with her husband and 2 boys. Steph, too, enjoys the outdoors! She has a love for camping and all things water! Steph's summers are spent swimming and paddle boarding the Shuswap River! Steph is happy to be back around familiar faces and looks forward to meeting our new patients!

Grace

Reception

Have you met Grace? She moved here from the lower mainland and we are so lucky that she decided to "grace" us with her presence (see what I did there) at Salmon Arm Dental. Grace is a mom of two little youngsters. A new mom to the rink, you can find her cheering on her son, a soon to be NHL player.

Desiree

Reception

Desiree has lived in Salmon Arm for fourteen years. She has two beautiful daughters and a wonderful life partner; who is a born and raised local. Desiree recently joined the Salmon Arm Dental team after ten years of working in the medical field. She enjoys reading, yoga, running and true crime podcasts. If you have a recommendation; she’s all ears. When she is not partaking in her solitary hobbies, or greeting you with a big smile at the front desk, you’ll most likely find her with her family at the softball field or the beach.

Taylor

Reception

Meet Taylor! Taylor moved here from the lower mainland and is enjoying learning all the amazing things the Shuswap has to offer! When not in office she enjoys hiking, paddleboarding and snowshoeing.

Michelle

Reception

Here is Michelle! She has lived in Salmon Arm her entire life, but is a newer face here at Salmon Arm Dental! She has many hobbies such as kayaking and side-by-siding. She is a home body and enjoys being curled up at home with her chunky cat while knitting or reading. She has a large garden where she grows and preserves her own veggies and produce for the year! She can be found lost in her her basement among the million jars of food, or busy snuggle her new nephews!