About Us

Ricki Weissbach DHP

The founder of Pacific Pearl Dental Hygiene Clinic, Ricki Weissbach, was born and raised in the Okanagan. She has been a registered dental hygienist since 2012 and was certified in Prince George and has completed a program through Thompson River University to become an independent hygiene clinic owner. She spent the first 7 years of her career working in private practice under several amazing dentists from Fort St. John to our beautiful Island. During this time working in private practice, she noticed a need that was not being met. People want more affordable and easier access to dental hygiene therapy.

Ricki became an independent hygiene practitioner to set a new bar on what to expect from your dental hygienist, while making dental hygiene accessible to everyone.

Denise Vanderlee DHP

Now an independent dental hygienist, Denise brings dynamic care to her clients with a decade of experience. She is Vancouver Island born and raised in Port Alberni and a mom of two boys. Certified in Prince George, she has worked in private dentistry for valued dentists who specialize in procedures under IV sedation as well as prosthetics.

Denise has broadened her career by volunteering in Tanzania, learning about socioeconomic trends and dental presentations within the region. To promote the best possible client care, she completed the Thompson River University program to become a Dental Hygiene Practitioner. Her passion is to work one on one with clients to achieve optimal oral health outcomes.

Denise is thrilled to collaborate with Pacific Pearl to exceed hygiene expectations. “Its a pleasure to generate a warm and professional atmosphere for everyone we meet.”

Carmen Stauffer office manager

Carmen has been in the dental field since 1997 when she graduated as a Certified Dental Assistant. We are honored to have her as our amazing receptionist!
Carmen enjoys travelling, golfing, walking Diego (her puppy), and trying new recipes. She enjoys relaxing with family and friends.

Natalie Cuthbert  DHP

Born and raised right here in Ladysmith, Natalie has joined our team after practicing dental hygiene for six years in Saskatchewan.
After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Saskatchewan, she completed her hygiene diploma in Vancouver then returned to the prairies where she worked in private practice. She gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in the dental industry. She is kind, light-handed and also left-handed! She is most passionate about reducing fear around dental cleanings and creating a comfortable environment for all her patients. She says that being at Pacific Pearl is “the right fit for providing optimal hygiene focused care.” In her spare time, Natalie enjoys golfing, the outdoors, farm life and hanging with her pal Cora the golden retriever.

Kabri Williams DHP

Kabri has been practicing dental hygiene since 2009. She was born and raised in Nanaimo and moved over to the mainland to complete her dental hygiene diploma from the University of the Fraser Valley and then decided to further her studies and obtained a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene from the University of British Columbia. In 2018 she and her family decided to move back to the island to continue to raise their children.

Over the years she has worked in dental offices, an orthodontic office, and has been a part of the Vancouver Island University Dental Hygiene program for almost 5 years now. She is excited about the next chapter in her career and working as an independent dental hygiene practitioner in such a warm and positive environment that Pacific Pearl provides.

When she is not working, her husband and her have a busy family life with three kids and all the fun activities that come with them. They are in gymnastics and hockey. The family also spend their time walking and exploring with their golden retriever and enjoying the beauty of Vancouver Island.

Emma Johnson DHP

Emma completed her undergraduate degree in 2008 in Kinesiology and moved on to obtain her Dental Hygiene Diploma from Camosun College in 2010. She worked in private practice for 4 years gaining additional training and experience in laser gum therapy, oral cancer screenings and TMJ therapy before deciding to open a dental hygiene clinic in Vancouver, BC in 2014. She ran her own dental hygiene practice for 10 years providing preventative dental hygiene services, laser teeth whitening and oral cancer screenings. In recent years she has also been teaching in the dental hygiene programs at UBC and then at the Vancouver College of Dental Hygiene. 

She decided to sell her practice and move to Vancouver Island with her family in 2024. She is excited to be providing dental hygiene services at Pacific Pearl Dental Hygiene, and helping out in the dental hygiene program at VIU. In her free time, she is exploring all that the island has to offer with her husband, son and their dog Gru.