Meet Our Team

Jacquie started her career in dentistry in 1997 as a receptionist and then expanded her knowledge to graduate as a Certified Dental Assistant in 2001. That same year, she joined Dr. Yamaoka’s practice as one of his surgical assistants. Following 6 years of assisting Dr. Yamaoka, Jacquie moved into the position of Treatment Co-ordinator. Her knowledge from working along side Dr. Yamaoka in surgery has proven to be invaluable in providing outstanding care for our patients. Born and raised in Vancouver, Jacquie enjoys walking her dog, music festivals, cooking and experiencing the variety of cuisines our city has to offer.

Cynthia had several years of experience in general dentistry before joining Dr. Yamaoka’s practice. She enjoys learning about new periodontal procedures and working with a great team. She appreciates the opportunity to help patients achieve their goals and maintain their dental health.

In her spare time, Cynthia enjoys baking, reading, and spending time with her friends and family.

Darlene has had a very successful career in the dental field and feels fortunate to have joined Dr. Yamaoka’s team in 2021. Her enthusiasm and positive energy is a wonderful addition to the front desk. When she is not in the office, she enjoys spending time with her daughter and son,  baking, wine tours in the interior, catching up with friends and long morning walks in Steveston Village.

Bonnie has been a Certified Dental Assistant since 2001. She started working in general practice, followed by a year long hiatus in Australia and travelling through South East Asia. Upon returning to Vancouver, she joined Dr. Yamaoka’s team. Working in a specialty practice has exposed her to the amazing aspects in periodontics and the excitement from learning new technical advances or meeting interesting patients. Creating positive energy with her work is important and she carries this enthusiasm to all aspects of her life. She enjoys spending time with her family, chasing sunsets and travelling the world.

Priscilla was called back to Vancouver in 2016 by her family and the coastline after living and working as a dental assistant in Calgary. She has spent her career assisting in the full spectrum of dentistry but has always had a strong interest in the precision and fine details of surgery. In 2017, she met Dr. Yamaoka and his team and their friendliness, patient care and work ethic stole her heart and the rest is history. Priscilla is also a certified yoga and acro-yoga instructor. In her spare time when she is not teaching, travelling or upside down in midair, she is adventuring in the mountains or along the coast with her two Australian Shepherds, Cove and Echo.

Erin – Certified Dental Assistant

Erin started her career as a Certified Dental Assistant in 2003. She loves her career choice and is appreciative of her broad dental background, including both clinical assisting and teaching future dental assistants. Erin takes great pride in her work and providing only the best for patients. She is happy to be part of a team with the same values. Outside of dentistry, she can be found swimming many kilometers in English Bay or other bodies of water abroad and exploring local trails with her dog, Cargo.

Michelle was born in a tropical island called Saipan which is located in the Western Pacific and moved to BC with her family in 2003. Michelle graduated from  SFU with a major in Communications. Upon finishing school, she developed an interest in dentistry and decided to study to become a Certified Dental Assistant. Michelle is passionate about her work and especially enjoys dental surgery. Joining Dr. Yamaoka’s practice in 2019, she is very happy to be part of a team that is dedicated to providing excellent patient care. Outside of dentistry, Michelle collects sneakers and loves art, especially painting, drawing and pottery. 

Darci began her career as a Certified Dental Assistant in 2010. After working in general dentistry for 5 years in Vancouver, she accepted a position in Calgary with a specialty practice. She immediately knew this was her passion. Since joining Dr. Yamaoka’s practice and the team in 2020, she is grateful for the opportunity to further her skills while being part of a highly committed and compassionate group of dental professionals. Darci brings a sense of warmth, competency and humour to the team. She also has a natural curiosity and is always open to learning new things. Raised in Vancouver, she spends her spare time hiking, golfing or walking the seawall with family and friends.

Danijela has been in the dental field since 2013. She came to Canada with her family from Serbia in 2017 and started her career as a Certified Dental Assistant in Winnipeg. She relocated to Vancouver in 2021 and is excited and thankful to be part of Dr. Yamaoka’s amazing team.

In her spare time, Danijela is a volleyball mom and enjoys travelling, hiking, skiing and exploring beautiful Canada with her husband and daughter.

Aiste – Registered Dental Hygienist

Aiste came to Canada from Lithuania in 1997 where she was working as a dentist. She fell in love with Vancouver and decided to make it her permanent home. In 1999, she started working with Dr. Yamaoka and Dr. Basaraba as a chairside assistant. In 2007, she graduated as a Registered Dental Hygienist from Vancouver Community College. She was honored to receive 5 academic awards, one of them for the highest overall achievement in clinical and academic studies. Shortly after graduation, she returned to Dr. Yamaoka’s practice as a Dental Hygienist. In 2013, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene at UBC and has taught at UBC’s Continuing Education Program. Aiste and her husband have 2 children, Sierra and Ash and enjoy travelling and outdoor activities such as kayaking, hiking, camping, biking, skiing and snowshoeing.

Dana began her career as a dental hygienist in 2003. She graduated from George Brown College in Toronto and worked for 7 years in general dentistry before deciding to embark on a move that brought her to Florida,  where she worked as a dental hygienist for an additional 10 years. While living there she met her life partner and they share a son, Jaxson. Her family decided to move back to Canada and settle in Vancouver.  Dana joined Dr. Yamaoka’s practice in 2020 and she is thrilled to be part of such an amazing team that shares her values in work ethic and providing the utmost care for patients. Outside of work, Dana enjoys exploring Vancouver and its beautiful surrounding area and cooking and baking for her family.   She also spends her time in many hockey arenas as a hockey mom cheering on her son.  

Elsa – Office Manager/Human Resources

Elsa was born in Monterrey, Mexico and received her university degree in marketing from the Technologico de Monterrey.  Early in her career, she was involved in working for non-profit organizations and later worked as Marketing Director for the first computer and software distributor in Mexico representing Intel and Microsoft. In 1995, she moved to Canada and helped transition Dr. Yamaoka into Dr. Neil Basaraba’s practice.   She enjoys being part of Dr. Yamaoka’s team to create an outstanding dental practice and patient experience. Elsa enjoys travelling, skiing, reading and finding amazing restaurants in Vancouver’s culinary scene.