Dentistry

Tasha became a VTS in anesthesia in 2015 and is a certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner who works closely with the IVAPM to educate the public about animal pain awareness. She loves to lecture on various anesthesia and pain management topics around the globe. In her spare time, Tasha enjoys reading and spending time with her son.

Kara Burns is an LVT with master’s degrees in physiology and counseling psychology. She began her career in human medicine working as an emergency psychologist and a poison specialist for humans and animals. Kara is the founder and president of the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians and has attained her VTS (Nutrition). She is the editor in chief of Today’s Veterinary Nurse. She also works as an independent nutritional consultant, and is the immediate past president of NAVTA. She has authored many articles, textbooks, and textbook chapters and is an internationally invited speaker, focusing on topics of nutrition, leadership, and technician utilization.

Mary received her B.S. in Biology/Microbiology from South Dakota State University, A.S. in Laboratory Animal Science, and A.S. in Veterinary Technology from St. Petersburg College. She is a Charter member of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians and received her VTS in Dentistry in June 2006. She serves as treasurer of the AVDT, president-elect of the KVTA, and Chair of the District Representative Committee for NAVTA. Mary has been published in various professional publications, and is a speaker/lab instructor at international, national, and state conferences. Mary and her husband have 2 sons and 3 grandchildren and live on a small farm near Lawrence, KS.

Jessica Johnston, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), is a native Minnesotan who became a Certified Veterinary Technician in 2008. After 6 years in a high-volume corporate practice, Jessica switched gears to specialty care in Minnesota’s BluePearl hospitals.

One of the few CVTs to earn her Veterinary Technician Specialty (VTS) in dentistry, Jessica found her passion in dentistry/surgery and is busy making the world a better place—one clean, pain-free mouth at a time.

In her free time, Jessica enjoys her pet family, Darla, a French bulldog, and Lady, a Lab mix, in the great outdoors. She also loves taking risks and getting her adrenaline flowing!

Benita Altier is a Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) and Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in Dentistry. She has worked in the profession since 1988 in both general small animal practices and at an equine and llama neonatal referral hospital. Through her business, Pawsitive Dental Education, she has been bringing professional dental instruction to veterinary hospitals and conferences across the US and Canada since 2008. Benita enjoys motivating and encouraging other veterinary professionals to do their very best and learn something new every day. Advocating for the oral health of pets and prevention of oral pain in animals is her passion. She currently resides in the state of Washington.

Benita Altier is a Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) and Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in Dentistry. She has worked in the profession since 1988 in both general small animal practices and at an equine and llama neonatal referral hospital. Through her business, Pawsitive Dental Education, she has been bringing professional dental instruction to veterinary hospitals and conferences across the US and Canada since 2008. Benita enjoys motivating and encouraging other veterinary professionals to do their very best and learn something new every day. Advocating for the oral health of pets and prevention of oral pain in animals is her passion. She currently resides in the state of Washington.

Sarah earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Veterinary Nursing from St. Petersburg College and the Veterinary Technician Specialty (Exotic Companion Animals). She currently works at ISU Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center in Ames, Iowa. She is a member of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America and International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Sarah has written numerous articles and lectured extensively on exotic animal topics. She has fostered birds for the Des Moines Animal Rescue League since 2014. Her interests include avian anatomy, physiology, behavior and enrichment; wildlife rehabilitation; and anesthesia.

Janyce is a 2003 graduate of the veterinary technology program at Blue Ridge Community College. Her professional interest in animal dentistry began in early 2004, when she began working at Pet Care Veterinary Hospital in Virginia Beach. Her fascination with exotics mixed well with her passion to educate and improve the dental health of clients’ pets. Promoting quality dental care became her ambition, and as a result she has brought a higher standard of care to Pet Care Veterinary Hospital. In 2013, Janyce obtained her veterinary technician specialty in dentistry.

Jeanne earned her associate in applied science degree in veterinary technology from Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois. From 2006 to 2015, she worked as a dentistry technician at Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists in Largo, Florida, and The Pet Dentist of Tampa Bay in Wesley Chapel, Florida. She is currently self-employed as a consultant, trainer, and educator for technicians in veterinary dentistry. In addition, she is an adjunct instructor for the BAS VT program in dentistry at St. Petersburg College and an online instructor of dentistry courses at VetMedTeam.com.

A founding member and former president of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians, Jeanne is also the editor of Small Animal Dental Procedures for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses.

Annie is a 1983 graduate of Macomb Community College in Macomb, Michigan. She currently serves on the board of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians as President.

Annie has published several articles in professional journals and is coauthor of a textbook, Small Animal Dental Procedures for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses. She has also presented dentistry lectures and wet labs at national conferences and has worked with many teams to organize, create, and teach comprehensive dental programs.

Currently, Annie is working with Brett Beckman, DVM, FAVD, DAVDC, DAAPM, in a mobile dental referral practice. “Nothing gives me more satisfaction than to see the enthusiasm of other technicians engaged in learning something new and being able to implement it within their own hospitals. As technicians, we are driven to provide the best care for our patients. Learning a new skill to achieve that is a wonderful thing.”

Patricia received her bachelor’s degree in biology and Spanish literature from Syracuse University in 1999 and was subsequently licensed in veterinary technology at SUNY Delhi. In 2003, she became the primary dental technician at Shaker Veterinary Hospital in Albany, New York, which, through improvements to its dental program and extensive client and community education, earned the Hill’s National Pet Dental Health Month Award 2 years in a row. One of the first to become a credentialed veterinary dental technician specialist through the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians, Patricia is the president elect of the academy and an adjunct professor at Westchester Community College.