And, as your dental health care partner, we believe it is our responsibility to provide our patients with the latest health care information. To do this we also continually seek educational opportunities for ourselves to stay up-to-date on the latest research in dentistry and systemic health.
Dr. Cates grew up in Buford, and graduated from North Gwinnett High School in 1990. Following high school, she continued her education at Georgia Tech and completed a B.S. in Biology, graduating with honors in 1994. She chose the art and science of dentistry as her profession, completing her Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree at the Medical College of Georgia in 1998. During dental school, she was honored to be inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU), the National Dental Honor Society.
Prior to coming home and launching her own practice in Buford in 2012, Dr. Cates enjoyed the mentorship and affiliation with two highly respected North Georgia Dentists. Following dental school, she spent 8 years as an associate dentist with Dr. Davis in Buford, who was her own childhood dentist. Later she joined Dr. Carey Norton, where she shared clinical practice and enjoyed serving patients in the Dacula area.
Dr. Cates enjoys being actively involved at both the local and national level in her profession through her memberships in the American Dental Association, Georgia Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry and Hinman Dental Society. She is married to Carson Smith, and they have 3 daughters, Avery, Anna Cate and Lily. She loves spending time with her own family, and treasures the relationships she has formed with her 'dental family' of wonderful patients over the years.
'The best part of being a dentist is my interaction with patients - these relationships become both a friendship and health partnership.It is very rewarding for me to help someone take care of their dental needs and provide them with information and education to preserve their oral health for a lifetime.' Dr.AmyCates
'I had the pleasure of growing up with Dr. Cates and I 'm very excited about the opportunity to work with her every day in our hometown. We want our patients to know that we are here to help them get the dental care they need, and are always happy to answer any questions they may have.
Dr. Cates is full of kindness, patience and gentleness. She genuinely cares about every individual she comes in contact with. We know that some people are a little anxious about visiting the dentist, and we are all very focused on making everyone completely comfortable in our care.'
Amy provides clinical support to Dr. Cates and our patients with the utmost attention to detail and pure enthusiasm. She is truly dedicated to total patient comfort and thoroughly explaining dental treatment so you feel great about taking care of your smile. Amy has been a Dental Assistant for over 15 years. When she is away from the office, she enjoys family time with her husband and 3 girls.
I love getting to know people and helping them achieve a healthy and beautiful smile. Our patients and their families make each day special for me. It is especially rewarding when a patient returns and has made the changes to their home care routine that we talked about at their last visit. Seeing the improved results together is motivating for both the patient and myself!'
Megan has practiced as a Dental Hygienist since 2001; she joined our team in 2012. She loves to travel and has been to more than 15 countries! She is also an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys hiking and biking.
I love being able to educate my patients on how to improve their oral health care. Many have told me that they actually feel better physically after we get their smile healthy. Even though we are trained to understand this connection, it is really wonderful to hear how we are making a difference in our patients' lives.
We enjoy getting to know our patients, they truly become part of our extended family. It is a lot of fun for us to watch patients that we have been seeing since they were young children grow up. We all have a proud moment when we see those healthy smiles in their graduation and wedding photos!
Courtney has been a member of the dental profession since 1999. She joined our practice in 2015. Courtney is from the local area, she is honored to give back to her community and provide care for her family, friends and neighbors.
What I love most about dentistry is my ability to share my knowledge with our patients to help them understand the importance of how and why to maintain their oral cavity for their overall health. I enjoy finding ways to make it easier for them to take care of their smile between their cleaning visits. When we see their dental health improve, it is very motivating!
I once saw a patient that had not been to the dentist in over 15 years. We worked together to get her smile healthy through periodontal therapy. She really embraced her home care and was so pleased at how much better she felt after treatment, she is now a dental hygienist!
Jennifer has been a member of the dental profession since 1998. She joined our team in 2018 after helping our practice as a temporary hygienist. She and her family enjoy travel, hiking and camping together.
I joined Dr. Cates' team in 2016 just after I moved here from San Diego. The moment I met Dr.Cates, I knew that this is my forever dental home. The entire staff is warm and welcoming, and down to earth.
Janet has over 30 years of experience in dentistry, beginning her career as a dental assistant before joining the front office team. She previously worked with Dr.Cates in other dental offices and we are glad she chose to join us here in 2016.
Janet has been happily married for over 25 years. She has five children, and loves spending time with her grandchildren. Janet also works with the Women's Ministry at her church. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, scrapbooking, shopping at flea markets and reading.