STRAIGHTER TEETH AND A MORE CONFIDENT SMILE
$99 Down on Braces when you begin treatment this month
Call the office for more details. Schedule today!!!
Our Dental Office Team
We are committed to the pursuit of excellence.
Harry Torrenegra
Dental Assistant/Clinical Operations Manager
Harry has been with Gentle Touch Smiles for 14 years and has been in the dental profession for 18 years. He had the pleasure of working for Dr. Maxwell at a prior office. Knowing Dr. Max’s caring attitude and kindness towards people, when Dr. Max offered him the opportunity to work at his then new office in Wilmington, Delaware, (Gentle Touch Smiles), Harry didn’t think twice about it! In his own words “what a blessing it has been to work for such a great man!”
Harry is trained in 3D Digital Dentistry including Cerec 3D, Simplant Pro/3D imaging, Surgiguide cases and I-Cat Vision 3D imaging. He is also CPR and DA Radiology Certified. Harry is a member of ADIA (Association of Dental Implant Auxiliaries). He likes to spend his free time with his wife and daughter.
Casey DiMaio
Registered Dental Hygienist
Casey graduated from Delaware Technical & Community College where she received an Associate’s Degree in dental hygiene. She has a strong passion for working with children and strives to make each appointment fun and pain-free.
In her free time, Casey enjoys spending time at the beach and hanging out with her friends and family.
Lenisha Colon
Registered Dental Hygienist
Lenisha has been in the dental field for over 13 years. She graduated from Delaware Technical & Community College in 2010 where she received her Associate’s Degree in dental hygiene. She was also honored with the “The Best Patient Management Award,” upon graduating. She enjoys working with children at Gentle Touch Smiles.
Lenisha also enjoys spending time with her son, family, playing sports and vacationing.
Sheretta Watson
Registered Dental Hygienist
Sheretta has been in the dental field for over 11 years. She began her dental career as a Dental Assistant. In 2006, she graduated from Delaware Technical Community College, receiving her Associates Degree in dental hygiene. Sheretta loves working with children and enjoys making your dental experience fun and pain-free.
In her spare time she enjoys playing board games with her two children, cooking with her husband and an occasional spa day!
Meet Our Staff
Keionica Harris
Dental Assistant
Kee Kee, as she is affectionately called, has been at Gentle Touch for over two years. She is a graduate of the Harris School of Business and will be continuing her education to pursue her dream of becoming a Dental Hygienist. She enjoys educating and serving her patients at Gentle Touch. She is also very proud to be a positive role model for younger patients who attend the practice, as she has been a patient herself for 10 years.
During her free time, she enjoys having fun with her family and friends. She also loves to shop, travel and go to concerts.
Sharnae Stewart
Dental Assistant
Sharnae was born and raised in Wilmington, DE. She graduated from the Harris School of Business as a Certified Dental Assistant and continues her dental education at Delaware Technical & Community College. She is a certified Dental Radiation Technician along with being CPR/First Aid certified. She has been part of the GTS Family since 2008 and loves working with children and supporting the youth and our community by implementing Dr. Max’s motto, to “Educate, Motivate and Serve” (EMS).
When she is not at work, Sharnae loves spending time with her two children and family, playing sports, shopping, dancing, singing, traveling and attending ministry functions.
Amber Thomas
Dental Assistant
Amber graduated from the Harris School of Business at the age of eighteen. She is in the process of continuing her education to become a dental hygienist. She loves working with children, which is why she enjoys being a part of the Gentle Touch Team so much! Amber believes everyone should be given the chance to have an even more beautiful smile.
During her free time, she loves to shop and travel with her family.
Monica Espinosa
Patient Care Coordinator
Monica (known as “Moni”), has been in the dental field for over six years. She graduated from Dawn Career Institute in Wilmington, Delaware with Honors. She is a certified Dental Radiation Technician and is CPR/First Aid Certified. She has experience as a Dental Assistant as well.
Moni is a team player, kind, compassionate, and overall happy with her life. She is originally from Texas… so she loves the summertime; as well as shopping and spending time with friends!
Yoria Bell
Patient Care Coordinator/Dental Assistant
Yoria has over nine years of experience in the dental field working not only as a Hygiene and Dental Assistant, but also as a Patient Care Coordinator. She has an extensive academic background having attended the Medix School – Towson, Md, Olympic College – Bremerton, WA as well as Delaware Technical & Community College; and completed her externship through the University of Maryland. She chose Child Care as an academic track while in High School and had the pleasure of working with Military Children at the Jackson Park Naval Housing Complex.
She enjoys working at Gentle Touch Smiles because she believes that “we make a significant difference in the life of every child that we treat by promoting good dental health and helping to create an award-winning smile that will last them a lifetime.”
Yoria enjoys taking care of her son as well as traveling as much as she can. She is known as dependable, happy and helpful to anyone.
Monica Brown-Pettiford
Smile Zone Event Coordinator
Monica is the Patient Care Coordinator for the Wilmington office. She has over 20 years of experience in administration. Monica entered the dental field when she joined the Gentle Touch Smiles team over nine years ago, and is CPR certified. Monica certainly has a “special way” with patients. She is admired for her loving, warm, comforting and caring expression towards each one. The patients love her because she makes everyone feel like they are, too, part of the practice family.
Monica enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with her family and friends.
Karen Izquierdo
Office Manager/Billing Specialist
Karen has been employed by Dr. Maxwell for over 14 years, but she, her husband and their three boys have been patients of his since 1997! She was hired initially to serve as a Patient Care Coordinator (for his first practice in New Jersey). She began with entry-level knowledge, but she proudly shares that “Dr. Maxwell and his sister (who was the office manager at the time), took me under their wings and taught me so much about the field of Dentistry. I give them credit for everything I know.” She continues to thank Dr. Maxwell for his patience, motivation and inspiration. Because of this, she has advanced to her current position where she processes billing and insurance claims. In her own words, she says “I am very fortunate to work for such a wonderful, kind, well-respected Doctor, and with an awesome staff.”
Karen really enjoys what she does at work, but also enjoys her time away from work spent with family and great friends. For relaxation, she loves to spend time at the Jersey shore, walking the boardwalk and laying on the beach. She believes in enjoying life to the fullest!
Kathy Wilson
Claims/Billing Manager
Kathy has worked for Dr. Max for over 15 years and has been working in the dental field for over 30 years altogether. “Dr Max is the kind of boss that you would cross state lines for,” she says. Gentle Touch Smiles is like family to her. Kathy has an A.S. degree from Goldey-Beacom College, Wilmington, Delaware.
She is on the Board of Directors for The Grand Theater in Williamstown, NJ, her local community theater. She also enjoys going to the movies, reading, and spending time with her family and friends. Kathy lives in New Jersey with her two daughters and her cat, “Harmony.”
Beverly Beckles
Marketing & Communications Manager
January 2, 2007 Beverly became a part of the Gentle Touch Smiles Team. Since then she has had the privilege to work for Dr. Maxwell in several different capacities. She was initially hired to serve as the Executive Director of Dr. Maxwell’s non-profit organization, (based in Smyrna, DE), while also working as a Patient Care Coordinator part-time. She has also served as an Administrative Assistant to Dr. Maxwell helping to implement strategies and systems designed to expand and enhance the dental practice. A few years ago, Bev was named the On-Site Manager for Dr. Maxwell’s former office in Smyrna and gradually moved into the role of Marketing & Communications Manager.
She graduated from Goucher College in Towson, MD and has almost 30 years of experience in various aspects of counseling, human services and program development. Since working for Dr. Maxwell, she has developed a special love for dentistry and considers it a privilege to serve the Gentle Touch parents and children, and an honor to execute marketing strategies and positively impact overall practice development.
Beverly has a special interest in nurturing the psychological, emotional & spiritual well-being of others, as appropriate. Her ultimate desire is to empower people to realize their own ability to create a life of peace and abundance; believing that everyone can actualize their dreams. She enjoys sharing her life with her family and all who are a part of her journey. Beverly is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Alicia Harrison
Operations Manager
Alicia joined the practice in January 2013 as the Operations Manager where she is ultimately responsible for the management of resources and supervision of personnel. She oversees the administrative and clinical operations from human resource management to operational reporting. Alicia attended Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ and brings over 20 years of administrative, coordinating and management experience from her previous positions in the printing & publishing industry.
“Personally and professionally, this has been an energizing change for me and has been an exciting journey from printing to children’s dentistry. I believe Dr. Max has an incredible vision and such a strong passion for educating, motivating and serving our community and patients, which is not only needed, but it’s refreshing and positively infectious! I’m thrilled to be a part of driving this dental innovation forward with our outstanding team here at Gentle Touch.”
Alicia lives in NJ with the loves of her life, her husband and two children and “We enjoy our family time, such as going to all kinds of sports events, playing board games, amusement parks or simply hanging out at home playing with our dogs.” Alicia also enjoys reading, cooking for her family and watching her favorite channel – ESPN!
