Dental Staff
Dr. Vaughn Stewart
Dentist
My name is Dr. Stewart and I am a graduate of USC School of Dentistry. I’ve been a dentist for 50 years practicing in Orange County, California. I am married and have 3 children, one grandchild, and one great-grandchild. Recently I retired and moved to Reno, NV in 2020. My passion in life is to do the best dentistry and to help people. Compassion Dental provides the ideal environment to develop my ambitions to give back to the less fortunate as directed by my Christian beliefs.
Christina Smith
Director of Clinical Operations
My name is Christina Smith and I’ve been a Reno resident for 16 years. I started in the dental field 26 years ago and have worked as an dental assistant, front office, administration, and management. The second half of my career I was a career college instructor, the dean of education, and campus director. 3 years ago I decided to embark on a new adventure and open a career college of my own (Sierra Mountain Education) that is directed at providing training for students exploring career opportunities in the dental and medical fields. I have an amazing family, 5 kids who have developed into incredible professionals, and 10 grand babies that I absolutely adore. I am so happy that I have this opportunity to help train new dental assistants and to work with Compassion Dental to provide a resource within the community in a space that is lacking the opportunities for those who need it most. I can only do this with the help of my amazing husband, Ryan
Sonya Frederickson
Director of Dental Operations
My name is Sonya. I have lived in Northern Nevada and worked in the dental field for over 20 years. I love helping people and I’m so happy to have the opportunity to give back to the community that I love. In my free time, I love spending time with my wonderful husband and sons. I love to garden and play with my dogs. I’m so excited to be able to work with such wonderful people and hope to do so for many years to come.
Trish Freyre
Dental Hygienist
My name is Trish. I have been a dental hygienist and a member of the Reno/Sparks area for over 20 years! I strive to make each patient as comfortable as possible and treat them with care and compassion. In my off time, I love to spend time with family and friends. One of my passions is cooking and my friends and family are always excited to see what I’ll whip up next! I’m also super geeky and love to have discussions about all fandoms, from Disney to Star Wars and beyond.
I look forward to connecting with everyone here and build lasting relationships.
Levi Pallavicini
Dental Assistant
Hi my name is Levi. I have been a dental assistant for 9 years now. I take pride in giving the best possible care to my patients and making every visit as comfortable as possible. I strive to continue learning and and building a strong skill base to continue offering exceptional care. On my free time I enjoy playing golf and watching baseball. Cooking and eating great food has always been my passion so feel free to ask me for any recommendations!
Michael Novick
Dental Assistant
I am Michael and I am from Truckee, California. I graduated from the dental assisting program at Truckee Meadows Community College in 2021. I have since then been working in the dental field while continuing my education to one day become a dentist. I enjoy spending time with my partner and our three very active dogs. I love to ski in the winter and be up at Lake Tahoe in the summers. Patient comfort has always been my primary focus and I strive to provide that every day.
Jolene Bustamante
Director of Patient Services & Scheduling
Dental Assistant
As a recent grad of SME (Sierra Mountain Education) I am excited and honored to be a part of Compassion Dental and to be a Servant of the lord. As a wife and mother to four little boys, in my free time I stay busy kissing boo boos and playing pretend. My family is my heartbeat! I strive continuously to keep a smile on my face and be a light wherever I go. Although I am new to the dental field, I believe I have found my place, love being a part of restoring peoples smiles.
Acts 20:24 – But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned to me by the Lord Jesus.
Cristi Dent
Director of Patient Records
Dental Assistant
My name is Cristi, I am a recent graduate of Sierra Mountain Education Dental Assistant program. I have been blessed to have trained with the Compassion team and become part of the Compassion family. I have lived in Nevada for over 15 years. I have a wonderful husband named, Eric, and a beautiful daughter named Aubrey. We love to spend time together, watch movies, and just hang out. I love my new career as a dental field, and I am proud to be part of the Compassion family serving our community in need of dental care.