Our Practice

Our mission

Your trusted neighborhood dental practice 

Established in 1978, our practice has had the honor of serving multiple generations of families in the Kirkland, WA, community. At Totem Lake Smiles, we are eager to uphold our esteemed reputation for delivering family-friendly, compassionate dental care. 



You will never be just another chart number at Totem Lake Smiles. As soon as you walk through our doors, you will be welcomed with a smile and seen on time for your appointment. Dr. Patil-Ghatkar sees patients of all ages and creates customized treatment plans to guide each patient toward optimal oral health. 

 

New and familiar smiles are welcome at Totem Lake Smiles! Give our office a call to book your first visit with Dr. Patil-Ghatkar. 

Dr. Aishwarya Patil-Ghatkar

Dr. Aishwarya Patil-Ghatkar graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from the University of Washington School of Dentistry in 2019. She has completed her Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree from India in 2012. Before moving to USA in 2015, she owned her independent dental practice and worked as a general dentist in India. She stayed in California for a brief period of time before moving to Washington for her dental school. She and her husband both fell in love with the Pacific Northwest and decided to make it their home.


Dr. Aishwarya strongly believes that good health starts from good oral care. She is very compassionate and empathetic towards her patients and enjoys a close relationship with them. She always puts patient’s interest first while adhering to the highest standards of ethical and professional behavior.

While not working Dr. Aishwarya likes to spend time with her toddler daughter, one year old son and husband.
 
Dr. Patil is looking forward to meeting each of her patients in person and serve them with the best of her abilities. 

Pam

INSURANCE COORDINATOR

I have worked at Totem Lake Smiles since November of 2001, and have been a patient at the office since the late 70's! This office is truly my home away from home. I work hard to help patients understand their treatment, its costs, and how their insurance can help them pay for it. My favorite part of my job is being able to talk with patients about what they want to do to improve their oral health and finding ways to help them get the most out of their coverage. I enjoy working with our entire team and love it when patients tell us that they can see we really are a family who work together to provide them with the highest quality care.


Outside of the office, my husband and I have two sons who are busy navigating their post-high school lives. We also love to travel and spend time at our family cabin on the Wenatchee River.

Tonya

SCHEDULING COORDINATOR

I started working in this office in 1996. Before becoming the smiling face that greets our patients, I worked as our sterilization technician. My warm personality and people skills ensure that every patient feels acknowledged and welcome. I really enjoy getting to know our patients and their families-they are like my friends!
I love working with a fun group of girls as well. Dr. Aish and the rest of our team genuinely care about our patients and their dental needs. It makes coming to work extremely rewarding.


In my spare time, I love spending time with my son and friends. I also enjoy working out and traveling to warm sunny places.

Rachel

DENTAL HYGIENIST

I graduated with a degree in dental hygiene from Clark College in 2000 and joined the team here at Totem Lake Smiles in 2001. I really enjoy getting to personally know my patients, building these lasting relationships over the years is what I love most about my job! It is an honor to care for our patients and along with the wonderful team that I work with, help them reach optimal dental health. A comfortable and pain free experience is something that I strive for with each patient.

When not at work, I love spending time with my husband, son, and daughter. We have 2 cats and an adorable mini golden doodle. We enjoy hiking, snowboarding, and traveling, especially to sunny places that have water and/or mountains!

Lisa

DENTAL HYGIENIST

I am a 15-year dental hygienist, born, raised, and schooled in the Pacific Northwest. For me, the best part of being a dental hygienist is seeing the improvement in patients' health over the years, it is really magical and rewarding, and I love how well our team communicates and works to handle new dentistry adventures each day. In my free time I love reading, traveling, and hanging out with friends and family. We have the most adorable 20lb mutt named Koopa who is quite sure he is a German shepherd guard dog and is a shining light of love and laughter in our home.

Sophia

DENTAL HYGIENIST

I am a Washington native and have always aspired to be in dental practice. After receiving my Bachelor of Arts in Public Health in 2014 at Fort Lewis College, I pursued Dental Hygiene at Seattle Central, graduating with a bachelor's in science in 2017.


I always provide a professional and gentle approach for my clients that continues to make them feel comfortable during their visit.

I reside in Kirkland with my three puppies.



When not working you can find me curled up with a good book or painting and sculpting ceramic art.

April

DENTAL HYGIENIST

I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. I studied premed, before completing my bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene at University of Hawai’i in 2010. I received my master’s degree in health science from the University of Texas in 2022, and I am also a dental hygiene professor at Lake Washington Institute of Technology. I love getting to know each patient, helping create a positive dental experience, and patient education. I enjoy sharing my dental knowledge and working with my patients to create a better, healthier smile.


I moved to Washington in 2013 and currently live in Bothell. When I am not working, or busy learning about the latest technology in dentistry, I like to spend time with my husband, Joe, and our 6-year-old daughter, Jaylee. Together, we like to go adventuring, travel to see family, go biking, hiking, and explore the Pacific Northwest.

Liliya

DENTAL ASSISTANT

I graduated from Lake Washington Institute of Technology in 2011 with a Dental Assistant associate degree. I have been working as a dental assistant since 2011 and joined Totem Lake Smiles in 2021. My main priority is to hear patients' needs and make them comfortable during their procedures. Our office truly is built to provide the best care for our patients.
In my free time, I spend time with my two highly active boys and my husband. We love to travel the world during summer times. We enjoy camping over Eastern Washington.

Kailie

DENTAL ASSISTANT

I attended the West Coast College of Dental Assisting in 2014 and have been working at Totem Lake Smiles ever since! My favorite part of my job is getting to know our patients on a personal level and helping people learn more about their oral health. Our team is amazing, and we all make a great cohesive unit.


When I am not at work, I like to spend time with my husband and two daughters. We enjoy spending time in Eastern Washington on the river with our dogs Lola and Pretzel. I love to travel and see new places as well!


Financial Options

Easy & affordable payment options

We accept most traditional insurance plans and are happy to answer any questions you have.


No insurance? Not a problem

We offer financing options and our Healthy Smiles Program for our patients without dental insurance.

See Financial Options
Modern Technology

Modern dentistry, old-fashioned care

Patient care is our top priority, and we go above and beyond to ensure your smile remains healthy and bright. In pursuit of this, we have integrated cutting-edge dental technology into our practice to enhance your comfort and well-being during each visit.

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