About Columbia Dental Group

Ali is from Columbia. In fact, her family has lived here for over 200 years, and she is very proud to continue the tradition and still reside in the area.

Ali graduated from The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene. She began working with Dr. Clayton shortly after graduating. Ali is committed to continually growing her knowledge and skills in myofunctional therapy by taking courses with The Breathe Institute. She also plans to become certified with the IAOM this year.

Ali enjoys providing exceptional, comprehensive care for patients, and she takes pride in being able to explain the root cause of dental and airway issues and help patients understand what they need to make positive changes in their lives.

In her free time, Ali enjoys spending time with her friends and family. She has also picked up photography and dance as relatively new hobbies.

Erica is a registered dental hygienist at our office. She has worked in this practice for over 23 years and has been taking care of most of our patients for many years. She enjoys working in dentistry because it allows her to help motivate people to value their oral health and achieve a lifetime of healthy smiles. Erica loves being a team leader who is trusted by fellow coworkers and patients. Her friendliness is contagious and she works hard to make everyone feel as comfortable as possible.

Julie is from Pelham, AL, and she currently lives in Hohenwald. She attended the Sixth District Dental Assisting class in 2013 and the Dental Staff School for Coronal Polishing in 2014. Julie went on to attend UT Memphis College of Dentistry for Expanded Functions in 2018.

Julie enjoys working in conjunction with patients to help them achieve optimal oral health and a confident smile. She was inspired to pursue a career in dentistry because she had an amazing orthodontist and childhood dentist who answered her questions and instilled a desire in her to help others through high-quality dental care.

Julie is married and has one daughter, one cat, and two dogs. She loves animals and would have an entire zoo if she could. Additionally, she loves spending time outdoors with her family, going to the river, kayaking, and hiking.

Kriston is from Spring Hill. She attended Sixth District Dental Assisting School to become a Registered Dental Assistant. She was inspired to pursue a career in dentistry because she was a curious kid who always wondered what her dentist was doing to her teeth and seeing on her x-rays. Kriston is passionate about early intervention and is the lead surgical assistant for Dr. Clayton’s frenectomies and functional frenuloplasties.

Outside of the office, Kriston enjoys spending time with her 13-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son. You can also find her buying sneakers and crafting with her Cricut.

Brandy is from Lawrence County. She has been a Registered Dental Assistant for many moons now (over 19 years and counting), and she has been with Columbia Dental Group since 2006.

She loves helping others achieve their goal of attaining a beautiful smile and doing it affordably.

Brandy has two sons and two granddaughters who are the best things since sliced bread, according to her husband. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and relaxing on their farm, riding ATVs, and swimming in the creek.

Kristi has been a part of the CDG team since 2018 and returned in 2022, making her mark in both treatment coordination and patient scheduling. For her, the best part of the job is the incredible team she works with, who have become like family.

Outside of work, Kristi stays busy with her two kids, hitting the gym, and indulging in some retail therapy. She loves staying active and making the most of her time with family.

A fun fact about Kristi? As a child, she had cat scratch fever! When it comes to snacks, she loves Munchies, chocolate, anything sour, and ALANI energy drinks.