NEWS
Due to high demand for our services, there is currently
a 4-6 week wait for consultation appointments. If your pet has an oral tumor,
stomatitis, or other urgent condition, please make an appointment for
the next available time, select "YES" when given the option to be put on
the waiting list, and then
e-mail us to let
us know your pet needs to be seen sooner than your scheduled appointment.
We will do our
best to see you as soon as possible.
For patients with oral disease which is not life-threatening, please
understand that the vast majority of our patients have painful, chronic
conditions such as periodontal disease or dental fractures, and we are not
able to accommodate everyone as soon as they would like to be seen. If your pet is uncomfortable or has an
acute oral infection, you should ask your family veterinarian whether
antibiotics or pain medications are warranted while your pet is waiting to see
Dr. Lommer.
WHY ARE WE CALLED AGGIE ANIMAL
DENTAL SERVICE?
Although Dr. Lommer is
a graduate of the U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, home of the "Aggies,"
the Service is actually named in memory of her first cat. Aggie was a loving
companion for almost 20 years.
|
Milinda & Aggie, 1978
|
Aggie, 1998
|
BOARD CERTIFICATION
A board-certified
veterinary dentist is a graduate veterinarian who has completed several
years of residency training and has passed comprehensive written and practical
examinations to become certified by the American Veterinary Dental College
(AVDC). The AVDC is one of several specialty organizations recognized nationally
by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
DR. MILINDA J.
LOMMER, D.V.M., Dipl. AVDC
Milinda
graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University in 1991, with a B.S. in
Biology.
In 1995, she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree with Phi Zeta honors
from U.C. Davis' School of Veterinary Medicine.
In 1996, having completed a
one-year internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the Sacramento
Animal Medical Group, Dr. Lommer returned to U.C. Davis, where she became the
first veterinarian to complete the three-year residency program in Dentistry &
Oral Surgery.
Following her residency, Dr. Lommer remained at
the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital as a clinical instructor in the
Dentistry & Oral Surgery Service, before relocating to the Bay Area and
opening Aggie Animal Dental Service
in late 2000. She returned to the faculty at U.C. Davis on a part-time basis, in August 2006.
Dr. Lommer has
lectured nationally and internationally, and has published results of research projects on
feline odontoclastic resorption lesions,
radiographic signs of periodontitis in cats,
prevalence of herpesvirus and calicivirus in chronic feline stomatitis, and
vital pulp therapy in primates. Current clinical research projects include
the use of cyclosporine for treatment of chronic stomatitis in
cats, incidence of periapical radiolucencies in cats with fractured teeth, and
success rate of vital pulp therapy in dogs.
Dr.
Lommer received the 1999 Peter Emily Outstanding Candidate Award from the
American Veterinary Dental College, and is
a Diplomate of the AVDC.
She lives in San Rafael with her husband, Edward,
and
their
daughter
Maggie, who
was
born in Hubei, China on May 9, 2004 and united with her forever family on May 9, 2005. They share their home with three
tabby cats: Sphinx, Aslan
and Kiefer.
"Dr. Maggie" practices on Sphinx, October 2007
Milinda
is proud to serve as the North Bay Regional Coordinator for Families with Children from China -
N. California, and is also a member of that organization's Board of Directors.
She and Edward were part of a volunteer work crew on an orphanage improvement
project in Hubei in September 2007.
She enjoys spending free time hiking
with her family, reading, and cheering on the Golden State Warriors.
Hiking on the Great Wall near Simatai,
September 2007
DR. JUDY FORCE, D.V.M.
Following graduation
from the U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1986, Dr. Force moved to
New Zealand, where she worked in a mixed animal practice for a year. Upon
returning to California, Dr. Force focused on small animal medicine, residing
in Mendocino County and the Lake Tahoe area before settling in the Santa Cruz
area in 1995. An intensive course offered by the American Animal Hospital
Association spurred her interest in small animal dentistry, and she began
studying with Drs. Barry Staley, DDS (a human periodontist) and Michael Floyd,
DVM, a Fellow of the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry. Since that time, Dr.
Force has continued advanced training in Veterinary Dentistry with Dr. Brook
Niemiec, DVM, Dipl. AVDC, and has devoted her professional time exclusively to
the study and practice of veterinary dentistry since 2004.
Dr. Force received extensive training in
anesthesia as the 2006 Don Low Fellow in Small Animal Anesthesia at the
Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at U.C. Davis. She has also participated
in a post-graduate course in Comparative Dentistry at U.C. Davis, along with
Dr. Lommer. Dr. Force and Dr. Lommer work together a few days each month at
our Corte Madera location.
Dr. Force lives in Watsonville with
her three Dalmatians. An avid equestrienne, she performs dressage, and enjoys
working with her dogs in Dalmatian road trials (obedience trials directed
while on horseback). They also enjoy participating in agility and obedience
trials.
MICHELLE ENSEY
A native of the East Bay, Michelle moved to Sausalito at the age of 10. During
her childhood, she developed a great passion for animals; her family never
turned away the numerous stray cats who snuck in to eat the family pets' food
and thereafter became permanent residents. She began working with animals as a
teenager, volunteering at the Marin Humane Society. Following employment at
the Cat Clinic of Mill Valley and Cat's Cradle, a boarding facility in San
Rafael, for a number of years, she relocated to the Santa Rosa area in 2004,
where she served as a veterinary assistant for The Cat Doctor. Michelle moved back to
Marin County and joined
Aggie Animal Dental Service in April 2005.
Michelle with patient Miles prior to anesthesia.
Michelle is responsible for procedural assistance, client services, and
patient care, including ensuring patient comfort before, during and after
anesthesia.
She shares her Novato home with her boyfriend and their two cats: Fluffy, a black Persian mix, and
Buddy, an orange tabby.
MARY LEAHY, B.S., R.V.T.
Mary received her Bachelor of Science in Veterinary
Technology from Mercy College in Westchester County, NY in 2006. Having
achieved certification as a Registered Veterinary Technician in New York, Mary
moved to California the following summer, successfully passing the California
Registered Veterinary Technician exam in December 2006.
Mary enjoys all aspects of animal care, particularly
anesthesia and surgical nursing. She resides in Mill Valley with her boyfriend
and Buddy, their Beagle. In her free time, she
enjoys hiking, running, and playing Ultimate Frisbee.
NICOLE PIERCE, B.S.
Raised in Texas, Nicole graduated from UC Davis in 2006
with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. In addition to her role on
the Aggie Animal Dental Service team, she volunteers at The Mercer Veterinary
Clinic for the Homeless, a small animal clinic which provides care to pets of
the homeless in
Sacramento.
Nicole has also worked in several areas of human medicine and physical
therapy. Describing herself as "dedicated to animal and human health", Nicole
plans to apply for veterinary school after gaining additional work experience.
