laurie Laurie Peterson says she always enjoyed going to the dentist as a child, and after high school decided to pursue dental assisting as a career. Laurie graduated from Bates Vocational Technical College in 1975, working in the dentistry field. She continued on with Dr. Murphy in 1998. Laurie says,"I truly enjoy coming to work each day-- working with our staff, getting to know all our great patients, and helping to be part of excellent dentistry." Laurie's personal interests include gardening, golf, crocheting, and reading. On her time off, she loves traveling with her husband to warm, sunny destinations-- especially to visit her son in San Diego.
Jennifer Jennifer Garnica came to the United States from Seoul, Korea in 1991. She went to dental assisting school in 1995 in Utah, and was trained at the VA Hospital in Salt Lake City and worked in the University of Utah Hospital dental clinic. Jennifer and her husband moved to Washington in 2000, and she has worked with Dr.Murphy for two years. "I like working with great people, and it gives me joy to help patients improve their smiles, their dental health, and their confidence," Jennifer says with a grin. When she's not taking care of her young daughter and son or working on remodeling projects in her house, Jennifer enjoys reading, cooking, singing Karoake, and watching movies.
Becky Becky Erdahl has come to work with us for 2 years now. Becky is very knowledgable with insurance issues, she would be happy to assist you in understanding your plan benifits. Becky is getting married in the fall of 2008. She'll say hi to you from the front office next time your in.
Dr Sean Murphy Dr. Murphy graduated from the University of Washington in 1993 with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art. He went on to receive his dental education from the University of Washington School of Dentistry in 1997. He has been happily living and practicing dentistry in Gig Harbor since 1998. Dr. Murphy and his lovely wife, Shelley, have four young children who are the center of their lives and keep them busy. His favorite pasttimes include cooking, photography, painting, and anything associated with computers. This website, which he has built "from scratch", is evidence of his propensity toward all things technology-oriented, and the slideshows you see on the screens at the office are (mostly) photgraphs that Dr. Murphy has taken in his spare time.
Melinda Melinda Davis attended the University of Washington Dental Hygiene program. After graduating she worked in the Seattle area with a periodontal office. She has been with Dr. Murphy's office since 1990, during which time she also worked as Dental Hygiene State Board Examiner and recently began teaching part time at Pierce College Dental Hygiene School. Melinda says, "I enjoy providing a valuable health care service to our patients, while establishing trusting relationships with them." She also enjoys traveling, boating, and running.
Heidi Heidi Hutton entered the field of dentistry in 2000, and worked as a dental assistant for three years before attending and graduating from Pierce College Dental Hygiene school in 2005. She has lived in the Puget Sound area her entire life, and currently resides in North Tacoma. Heidi has worked with Dr. Murphy for nearly two years, and enjoys being part of a "team" practice. When she's not working at the office, Heidi likes to spend time with her husband, hike and camp in the outdoors, and is a talented and avid scrapbooker. In the Winter of 2009 Heidi and her husband adopted a baby. She is doing very well.
Meet our team...