About Us

---

Krista started her career in the dental field in 2015 as a dental assistant. After working at a periodontist office for a year, she realized the impact she could make in her patients' oral health by becoming a dental hygienist. So she went back to school and graduated from the dental hygiene program at Guilford Technical Community College in 2018. Krista previously worked as a dental hygienist for 5 1/2 years in Asheboro, NC. In the fall of 2023, Krista and her family decided to move to the Southport area to be closer to the beach. She is super excited to be a part of the Southport Dental family and we are so grateful to have her! She loves getting to know her patients, and providing the best cleanings that she can for them. When Krista is not cleaning teeth, she enjoys spending time with her family. Her husband is a teacher at South Brunswick High School and they have three young children together. They love exploring the area on the weekends and doing anything that involves being in or near the water.

Carissa grew up in the heart of white water rafting country in West Virginia. There she attended Concord University, studying child development. A few years later she decided to pursue a childhood dream of dental hygiene. She completed her dental hygiene journey at BridgeValley Community and Technical College, graduating in 2019. Her professional and personal goals have always been to serve others and inspire a reason to smile. Since graduating, she has been able to practice traveling dentistry in schools for impoverished communities throughout southern West Virginia. After Covid everything changed, and she and her family started a dream of salty air and sandy toes. She now resides with her husband, two girls and their mini-doodle Nixie, in Brunswick County. She loves spending time with her family outdoors, exploring new places and serving her newly found community by leading American Heritage Girls, coaching sports, and being active at her local church.   

 Denise graduated from Florence-Darlington Technical College in 1994 with an associate degree in Dental Hygiene and brings more than 30 years of patient-care experience to Southport Dental. Originally from South Carolina, she moved to the area in 1994 and has been serving patients in the surrounding community ever since. Denise loves being part of Southport Dental because the team truly feels like family. She values how everyone supports one another and is always willing to step in and help—often without even being asked.

What Denise enjoys most about dentistry is that it continually challenges her to grow as a healthcare provider. She understands that every patient is unique and deserves her full attention and care tailored to their individual needs. She also appreciates that dentistry is constantly evolving, providing new opportunities to learn and offer patients the latest approaches to care.

Outside the office, Denise enjoys walking on the beach, going to the gym, listening to live music, discovering treasures in consignment shops, traveling to new places, and meeting new people.

 Michaela is a licensed dental hygienist who graduated from the UNC School of Dentistry Dental Hygiene program in 2008 and has nearly 19 years of experience. She enjoys working at Southport Dental for its caring, compassionate team and the balance of fun and professionalism the office provides. Committed to patient safety and quality care, Michaela values Southport Dental’s focus on staying current with the latest advancements in dentistry.

Outside of dentistry, Michaela loves gardening, fishing, cooking, traveling, and tackling home renovations and decorating. Recently married, she and her husband live in Southport with their two dogs.

Michele has been in the dental field for over 30 years. She first worked front desk answering phones and scheduling appointments. After two years of administrative duties, she decided to learn the clinical side of dentistry. Michele graduated from the Rowan Cabarrus Community College dental assisting program in 1994. Shortly after, she received her certification in dental assisting after passing the Dental Assisting National Board Exam (DANB). Michele enjoys enthusiastically educating her patients about dental procedures and oral hygiene. She does her absolute best in helping her patients improve their dental knowledge and to provide them with an enjoyable experience at our office! Michele joined our practice in 2021 after moving to Southport from Wake Forest, North Carolina. Michele and her husband of 30 years love to walk on the beach and enjoy sunsets! Her daughter goes to college in Raleigh studying dental hygiene. In Michele’s spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, biking, listening to music and watching comedy shows for a good laugh. Michele enjoys sharing laughter throughout our practice!

Julie started out shadowing our office and fell in love with the atmosphere here at Southport Dental. She graduated from NCDentalU's Dental Assisting program in Greenville, NC in 2022 and graduated with a Biology degree from East Carolina University in 2023. Julie aspires to be a dentist and has loved learning from Dr. Williams and our team all the ins and outs of dentistry as she rovers between the front desk, sterilization, and assists in the dental operatories. Her experience here at Southport Dental will make her an exceptional dentist someday! In addition to dentistry, her other passion is scuba diving. Julie grew up in Concord, before moving to Southport, and her favorite color is orange.

 Tim graduated from UNCW in 1995 as a Certified Dental Assistant and brings more than 30 years of experience to Southport Dental. Throughout his career, he has worked in general dentistry, orthodontics, oral surgery, sedation dentistry, and CAD/CAM technology.

Originally from Slate Hill, New York, Tim has called Brunswick County home for several decades. He enjoys being part of Southport Dental because of the exceptional quality of dentistry the team provides every day. After more than three decades in the field, he still loves dentistry for a simple reason—he has fun doing it! Outside the office, Tim enjoys playing guitar, boating, spending time at the beach, and being with his daughter, mom, and dad.

Zoey joined our team as one of the sweet voices you'll hear on our phones or one of the smiling faces you'll see at our front desk. She has always had a passion for dentistry, and recently graduated from Brunswick Community College's Dental Assisting program in 2024. She is a Brunswick County native from Ocean Isle and is excited to be a part of the Southport community. Although she may be the youngest person on our team, Zoey enjoys all the "grandma" hobbies, as she affectionately calls them, such as reading, crocheting, baking, gardening, fishing, and self-care. She loves to be around people, especially her friends and family. Zoey is also a very dedicated dog mom to her Yorkie, Scarlett.

Abbey graduated at the top of her class from Brunswick Community College’s Dental Assisting I program in 2026. Originally from the Winston-Salem area, she has proudly called Brunswick County home for several years. We are thrilled to have her positive energy and enthusiasm on our team! Abbey loves being part of Southport Dental because of the wonderful coworkers and dentists who helped her fall in love with dentistry. She enjoys that every day brings something new to learn and especially loves helping patients feel comfortable and confident in their smiles. As Abbey says, helping people smile makes her smile, too!

Outside the office, Abbey enjoys reading, building LEGO sets, attending concerts, and traveling. She also loves spending time with her fiancé and their cats, dogs, and fish.

Mary has been with Southport Dental for over 40 years. She started as a dental assistant and added the duties of scheduling, receptionist work, and working with billing and insurance. She has been an office manager, and over the years has worn many hats. In addition to her main duties, you can find her doing most anything that is needed, from ordering supplies to keeping our computers online and up to date. She enjoys helping patients in all areas, and her goal is to have them leave feeling cared for and happy with their overall dental experience with our practice. She has been married to her wonderful husband, Mike, for over 30 years. They have two sons, Clay and Braeden, two wonderful daughters-in-law, Stephanie and Kayla, and three wonderful grandchildren. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

 Kristina grew up on a hobby farm in Kansas and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Kansas. She worked as a registered nurse in maternity and labor and delivery before joining Southport Dental as office manager after her husband, Dr. Williams, purchased the practice in 2023. Kristina and Dr. Williams fell in love with Southport’s small-town coastal charm and knew it was the perfect place to call home. Her favorite part of her job is spoiling the Southport Dental team and making sure they feel just as loved and appreciated as they make their patients feel. Outside the office, Kristina stays busy with their four young children and two energetic dogs. She enjoys competing in sprint triathlons and long-distance open water swims, reading on the beach, scuba diving, camping, hiking, kayaking, serving at her church, and planning the family’s next adventure.