Meet the Smile Team

Our devoted and skilled dental team at Smile Connections will go above and beyond to keep your family smiling for years to come.

Happy Smiles, Familiar Faces

Watch this video to get to know a little more about our team - handpicked by your dentist in Wichita, KS.

Front Office Team

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Shelly

Insurance Coordinator

I’m married with children; my husband Rick and I have 8 kids between the two of us – his three and my five. We have ten grandkids. I moved to Wichita from the Kansas City area, and have lived here since 2001.

Why did you choose dentistry?
I’ve worked with accounts receivable and insurance for many years and enjoy helping and working with patients to achieve their dental goals financially.

What is the best part of your job?
I enjoy seeing how we as a team help our patients achieve their dental goals.

What aspect of your personality adds the most value to the office?
My ability to get to know our patients and help our team make their visits as comfortable as possible.

What do you do outside of the office?
My husband and I travel quite a bit yearly. We love going to concerts, going out to dinner on Friday nights, and taking my grandkids to the zoo. Our family is into all sorts of sports, especially basketball, and we enjoy watching our grandkids’ teams play.

We also collect a lot of Beatles memorabilia and cookbooks.

What’s one item on your bucket list?
I would love to visit the Amalfi Coast in Italy.

Kris

Treatment Coordinator

I’ve been married to my wonderful husband, Michael, for 32 years, and we’ve been blessed with 3 daughters, 3 son-in-laws, 8 grandchildren, and 1 furbaby – Lilly. We both grew up around this area and raised our daughters here too. We are very active in our church and community. Our girls played a lot of sports and now we’re traveling to watch our grandkids do it again.

Why did you choose dentistry?
I have been in the dental/healthcare field for over 25 years. I was in oral-maxillofacial surgery first and moved to orthopaedic surgery for 15 years before coming to general dentistry. I have been on the assisting side as well as the clerical side of dental. I’ve been very blessed to learn so much about dentistry.

What is the best part of your job?
The people are the BEST part of my job by far! The people we help and the people that I get to work with. Dr. Volker has a team that is truly about our patients and their needs. We love to see all our patients achieve their goals and dreams.

What aspect of your personality adds the most value to the office?
I believe that my knowledge and experience help the patients to bridge the gap between what they should be asking and understanding how the process works. We talk dental all day, yet it’s almost a foreign language to people. I want my patients to feel confident and fully engaged in their treatment.

What do you do outside of the office?
I love my family and spending time with them. We are sports fanatics! We love to tailgate, cookout, and support each other at our sporting events. Our family has football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, softball, rugby, and also officiate at all levels from professional, collegiate, and club to our local rec-leagues. When we aren’t enjoying sports, we are going to concerts and live music.

What’s one item on your bucket list?
I would love to see a baseball game at every stadium.

The Hygiene Team

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Shelby

Registered Dental Hygienist

I’m a born and raised Wichitan. I bleed black and yellow, a WSU grad. My husband is from Wichita as well, he is a lieutenant in the Fire Department. We have two little girls, Summer Shae and Caroline Jo. We spend most of our free time outdoors chasing them around.

Why did you choose dentistry?
My mom is a retired dental assistant. I grew up in a dental office. We went to work with her when school was closed and on the weekends to help her clean the office. My sisters and I would “play dentist” often. My sisters were my patients growing up when we played dentist and were my first patients in dental hygiene school as well. Little did they know, they were guinea pigs all those years. I suppose being immersed in the dental world is what peaked my interest in pursuing dental hygiene.

What is the best part of your job?
Working in an environment where I can laugh as loud as I want. Dr Volker and his assistants say they can hear me laughing across the building. Laughter is contagious. It brings people joy. It connects people. It is how I connect with my patients.

What aspect of your personality adds the most value to the office?
I like to think I’m flexible. I try to go with the flow. I can adapt to most situations.

What do you do outside of the office?
My family and I are regulars at the park, zoo and Exploration Place. We love most things in Wichita, local festivals, kayaking down the Arkansas, hole-in-the-wall-bars, live music, and Vegas every once in a blue moon.

Cande

Registered Dental Hygienist

I am married and my husband Chase and I have identical twin girls that are 13. The girls’ activities keep us busy and on the weekends we enjoy going to church, going to the gun range and going on trips to ride our side-by-sides. I love the KC Chiefs football! We love animals at our house and have 3 house cats, 2 outdoor farm cats, 1 dog, 1 chinchilla and a hamster!

Why did you choose dentistry?
My mom worked at a dental office since before I was born. Growing up frequently visiting the office it became such a comfortable setting for me and I loved to see how her coworkers and patients were treated like family. I love to help others and help them feel comfortable with their dental experience in our office.

What is the best part of your job?
I love to help patients understand their treatment options and feel at ease by being positive, friendly, funny and willing to help whenever needed.

What aspect of your personality adds the most value to the office?
I love to make people smile and I love to have fun!

What do you do outside the office?
We like to travel to different states with friends and family and go off-roading with our side-by-sides! A good boondoggle is always fun! I love to watch the KC Chiefs football!

What’s one item on your bucket list?
I would love to go to a KC Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium! I love to watch the games but I have never actually been to a game at the stadium. I just want to experience the noise of the crowd! My girls say that I am too loud when I watch the game at home so I think it would so much fun to be in the crowd!

Kirsten

Registered Dental Hygienist

I have lived in Wichita my entire life and cannot imagine living anywhere else. I graduated from WSU. My husband and I stay busy running around after our three girls and two dogs.

Why did you choose dentistry?
I had severe dental anxiety as a child (and still do to this day!) so I didn’t think that I would end up working in dentistry until I finished high school. I love to pick at things and meticulously clean things with small brushes and toothpicks, so being a dental hygienist came naturally. I feel like my dental anxiety has also made me a lot more empathetic to others who share my anxieties.

What is the best part of your job?
I love making connections with patients and looking forward to catching up with them at their appointments.

What aspect of your personality adds the most value to the office?
I’m very detail-oriented which comes in handy with cleaning teeth. I am also a quiet observer which helps me to solve problems.

What do you do outside of the office?
Having three little girls and two dogs, my husband and I spend most of our free time playing in our backyard or at the park. When I get the chance I enjoy reading mystery books.

What’s one item on your bucket list?
Someday I would love to visit Greece.

Dental Assisting Team

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Ashley

Dental Assistant

My name is Ashley and I was born in Wichita, KS. For most of my childhood I grew up in Clearwater, KS. I am now married with five kids. My husband – Alex, and the kids (oldest to youngest) – Alexis, Mylee, Adelynn, Braxton, and Breckin.

Why did you choose dentistry?
As a child I grew up loving the dentist. It was always a warm and friendly environment. After becoming a young adult I quickly found dentistry as a place where I belonged. I’ve been in dentistry for 10 years now, and I still love helping people improve their smiles and maintain a healthy mouth!

What is the best part of your job?
The best part of my job is getting to help improve people’s confidence and creating long-lasting relationships with my patients. I strive to give them the best possible experience while creating a “laid-back” comfortable atmosphere where they can relax and know they are getting quality dentistry. “We take care of people not just teeth!”

What aspect of your personality adds the most value to the office?
As a mother of 5, I have experience taking care of others. Patients often tell me I have a gentle touch. I also try to add a little fun to the environment for all our patients. Behind the scenes, I like to help problem-solve and find the best possible way to take care of our patients.

What do you do outside of the office?
Outside of the office I enjoy spending time with my family. You will most likely find me at one of my kids sporting events as 4 of them play a sport or two! We also enjoy taking family trips to Colorado during the winter. During the summer we try to make it to the lake as often as possible. If possible, I try to squeeze in some gym time between all our busy schedules!

Kendra

Dental Assistant

I’m the wife of an amazing man who’s been my best friend for over twenty years, and the mother of three beautiful girls. Alyssa who I lost too soon in life at the age of 16, she is now my forever guardian angel, Caitlin and Zayla who are both so very strong and beautiful. I’ve lived in Wichita since the age of twelve, though I spent a few years in my twenties living in both Cheyenne, WY, and Billings, MT. I will always consider Wichita my “hometown”.

Why did you choose dentistry?
Growing up I had what you would call a “Complex Mouth”. I needed seven years of orthodontic treatment and at the age of 12 had to have twelve teeth removed at one time. I remember waking up from anesthetic in panic wanting to see my mom. The assistant at the time was very unkind and stern with me. I always knew I wanted to be in dentistry, however that one woman directed me into wanting to take care of people in a way she did not do. I chose the path of assisting to help comfort and support patients in situations not all are comfortable with, and to show understanding in those moments.

What is the best part of your job?
It’s hard to narrow down the best part of my job, the people I’m surrounded by daily both staff and patients, is what makes me smile the most when coming to work. I also enjoy the technology aspect of what we do, we’ve come so far in dentistry and Smile Connections uses technology in a way that gives our patients a smile that not only looks great but feels great too.

What aspect of your personality adds the most value to the office?
I get along with everyone, and I always try to stay positive and that helps in a lot of different scenarios at work and in my personal life. I’m upbeat and full of energy which is great in a fast paced office that pays attention to every detail of care we give our patients.

What do you do outside of the office?
Outside of work I’m the BIGGEST KC CHIEFS FAN, football season is definitely a favorite in my house! I decorate cakes in my free time, I love being artistic and I get to enjoy the tasty creations. Staying fit is important to me so I love when I can get outside and be active.

Who is your hero? Why?
My hero has always been and will always be my mother. She is a strong woman who wears her heart on her sleeve. She takes care of those around her and has set an incredible example for me to live up to. When I choose to take care of those around me I do it in a way I know would make her proud.

“My dental hygienist is absolutely terrific. The dental office as a whole is terrific. Everything was precise and kept moving throughout the day. I’ve had appointments in the mornings and afternoons and have never been kept waiting. Keep up the good work. I’ve recommended you to whoever has asked about a dentist.”

– Robert P. (actual patient of your Wichita family dentist)

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