Forrest Packard, DDS
Dr. Forrest Packard has over 30 years of dental experience and continually serves our community with great skill and care. He finds great joy in serving his patients, and he gets great satisfaction from making patients smile again. Dr. Packard graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1985, and received a bachelor’s degree in zoology from Brigham Young University. He has received advanced training in orthodontics, TMJ treatment, and dental implant placement. Every year, Dr. Packard takes several continuing education courses to stay current in these fields. He is also a member of the American Dental Association.
Dr Packard has been happily married to his wife Michele since 1980, and together they have 12 children and 25 grandchildren. When not at the office, he loves gardening, fishing and spending time with his family.
Kevin Packard, DDS
A 2011 graduate of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Dr. Packard has the expertise and training necessary to take care of your needs. He also received a Bachelor of Science in biology from Brigham Young University in 2007. Dr. Packard continues his education on a regular basis and is a member of the American Dental Association. He is strongly committed to excellence in dentistry, compassion in patient care and patient comfort, and practicing evidence-based dentistry.
Dr. Packard married his wife, Ashley, in 2005, and he has three daughters and twin sons, ensuring that there is never a dull moment at home. Away from work, he enjoys mountain biking, camping, wakeboarding, and spending time with his family. For Dr. Kevin Packard, excellent dentistry is about taking care of patients’ needs and treating them like family. Dr. Packard and his family love Ellensburg and serving their community.
Meghan Wiesen – Office Manager
Meghan has been part of the Creekside Dental family since 2011. She began her dental field journey as a member of the front desk and transitioned to the back office, where she eventually became the lead assistant for Dr. Forrest. While she was working on the clinical side, she was able to expand her knowledge in the dental field and learn the ins and outs of almost all dental procedures. Meghan became our office manager in June 2019, where she brings her knowledge of both the insurance/benefits side of dentistry as well as the clinical side. She is always up for a challenge and enjoys the fast pace of dentistry, educating patients and creating the best experience possible. Meghan grew up in Ellenburg and graduated from Ellensburg High School in 2008; she then attended CWU, where she was a member of the fastpitch team. Meghan contributes much of her teamwork and success to her years of team sports. She is happily married to her husband, Chas, and they have a beautiful daughter named Zoey.
Brianna Vrooman – Receptionist & Insurance Coordinator
Brianna was born in Ft Worth Texas and moved to Washington when she was 8 years old. Bree graduated from Easton high school as valedictorian. She has three sisters, six nephews and one niece, all of which she loves spending her free time with. When not at work you can find Bree gardening, canning produce from her garden or going for bike rides or rides on her side by side.
Kathy Heaverlo – Dr. Forrest’s Scheduling Coordinator
Kathy’s grandparents moved to the Kittitas Valley in 1950, where she spent her childhood summers on the family farm. She moved here full time in 1977 and graduated from Kittitas High School in 1978. She has two kids, seven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter, most of which reside in Kittitas County. With her husband, Scott, she enjoys spending time cooking, traveling and hanging out with family. She takes pride in assisting patients with reaching their oral health goals and hopes to have a positive impact on every patient she works with.
Emily Bradford – Hygiene Coordinator
Emily is our hygiene coordinator and will help schedule new patients to our office and cleaning appointments. She has been with Creekside Dental Ellensburg since 2021 and loves working in the dental field. Her favorite thing about dentistry is seeing the before and after and the confidence that comes with a patient’s new smile. She has lived in Ellensburg since 2017 and enjoys spending time outdoors. When not at work, you can find Emily camping, fishing or going on some sort of adventure with her family or friends. Emily has four pets that always keep her busy and on her toes. This includes one dog, two cats and a guinea pig.
Jamie Hampton – Assistant Manager | Dr. Kevin’s Scheduling Coordinator
Jamie moved to Ellensburg in 1993, where she raised three wonderful children that she is very proud of. She has been able to add two daughter-in-laws and four grandsons to the family while living in Ellensburg. Her four grandsons are her pride and joy! In her spare time, she enjoys camping with friends, crafting, going to concerts, traveling and spending time with family, including her parents who recently relocated to Ellensburg. Jamie has worked in the dental field in the past, and we are happy to welcome her back as a member of our team.
Kristen Hinds – Insurance Coordinator 
Kristen was born and raised in Southern California. She is the second oldest of Dr Forrest Packard’s children. Kristen has been in the dental field for 20 years now. She attributes all her expertise and knowledge to her father whom she has worked with from the beginning of her career. She moved to Ellensburg and was here when we opened Creekside Dental Ellensburg. She started as an assistant for 12 years and has also done front office and management since. We are grateful for both her vast clinical and insurance experience. She now lives in Puyallup, WA, with her husband Shawn and two children, Justin and Kinsley. She is grateful to be able to use her insurance knowledge to work for us remotely and still be a part of our amazing team!
Janet Velasquez – Dental Hygienist 
Jan has been part of our Creekside Dental family since 2011. Jan graduated from the YVC dental hygiene program in 1979 and brings many years of experience, maturity and humor to our practice. Jan is married to her high school sweetheart, with whom she has two children and six grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys being a grandma, reading, knitting, painting and visiting any Disney park! Jan’s smile is infectious, and finding a way onto her schedule is darn near impossible as she has quite the following. Jan is the definition of team player, and we are so lucky to have her as part of our practice!
Cassie Keaton – Dental Hygienist
Cassie was born and raised in Ellensburg and joined Creekside Dental in 2016, where she fell in love with the dental field. Cassie then went on to attend YVC, where she received her bachelor’s in dental hygiene in 2019. We were happy to bring Cassie back on as a member of our hygiene team after she graduated. Cassie loves working with patients to help them achieve a happy and healthy smile. It is very important to her that each patient feels comfortable and has a positive experience. When Cassie is not working, you can find her outdoors enjoying time with her family.
Nikkie Fee – Dental Hygienist
Nikkie joined our practice after graduating from YVC with a bachelor’s in dental hygiene in 2019. Prior to YVC, Nikkie played collegiate basketball up north in Skagit County, which was a huge part in making her the amazing team player she is today. When she is not traveling, you can find her on a golf course with her husband or spending time with her puppy. Nikkie loves making her patients comfortable along with educating them on proper techniques to keep their oral health in great condition. Her positive attitude and willingness to take on any task make her a key member of our Creekside Dental family.
Mercadee Karcz- Dental Hygienist
Mercadee grew up in Wilkeson, Washington, and moved to Ellensburg in 2022 after graduating from dental hygiene school. Mercadee has a lot of interest in the dental field, pushing her to pursue a career in dental hygiene. She loves building relationships while working with patients and helping them improve their oral health. When not at work, she can be found spending time with her family, hiking, cooking and playing sports.
Pat Kuntz- Dental Hygienist
Pat joined the Creekside Dental team in early 2023. She has years of experience in the dental hygiene field and enjoys connecting with past and new patients. Pat is originally from Las Vegas but has also lived in Snohomish, Washington, and Southern California before finally moving to Ellensburg to be closer to her family. When not at work you can find Pat traveling the Pacific Northwest and spending time with her grandkids.
Kaylee Brunner- Kiddie Prophy
Kaylee was born and raised in a small town on the westside of Washington State. Around June of 2023, she decided to make a huge move to Ellensburg to be closer to family and friends that already moved and settled here. Kaylee loves to learn new things and takes pride in making sure every visit to our office is a great experience. When not at work you can find Kaylee riding dirt bikes, riding horses, camping, fishing and basically anything outdoors. She also enjoys time with her family, her fiancé and 2 dogs.
Valerie Larios- Kiddie Prophy & Registered Dental Assistant
Valerie, also known as “Val”, was born and raised in Yakima, WA. She moved to Ellensburg a few years ago to attend college. She will be graduating from Central Washington University in June of 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences and a minor in chemistry. After graduation, Valerie will be applying to dental school and pursuing a career in dentistry. She enjoys working at our office because she loves interacting with patients and making them feel welcomed and taken care of. Val’s goal is to help patients feel more comfortable at the dentist’s and spread laughs throughout the office. On her free time, Val enjoys traveling with her friends and family. Her favorite vacation spot is Puerto Vallarta, Mexico because she enjoys being surrounded by her culture and beautiful views. 🙂
Greyson McLeod – Registered Dental Assistant
Greyson was raised in Ellensburg. He attended Yakima Valley College, where he received his AA, and recently graduated from CWU with a bachelor’s degree in biology with a biomedical science specialization. He is currently in the application process to go to dental school. Greyson has learned the ins and outs of many dental procedures during his undergraduate studies to help prepare him for the journey through dental school. Greyson considers every day an opportunity to expand his knowledge and to provide a comforting environment for our patients to be educated and receive the treatment needed to give them a confident smile.
Jesus Mendoza- Registered Dental Assistant
Jesus is a dedicated dental assistant with a passion for providing top-notch patient care. With an Associate of Arts degree, Jesus brings a strong foundation in health care and a commitment to excellence to the team. His positive and enthusiastic approach to both work and life are key components in helping provide a great dental experience for every patient. Outside of work Jesus enjoys staying active by playing soccer and cheering for his favorite football club, Real Madrid.
Mikey O’Malley- Registered Dental Assistant
Mikey is from County Meath, Ireland where he grew up. He came to America in 2017 to play rugby at CWU where he met his wife, Tally. He then moved to Notre Dame College to continue playing rugby and graduated with a bachelor’s in early childhood education in 2021. He taught Elementary and Special Education before joining our team at Creekside Dental Ellensburg. Mikey coaches the Ellensburg High School rugby team and plays music locally as a folk singer-songwriter. He and his wife have two cats, Harry and MC. He loves working as part of a team and being a part of the Creekside Dental family
Jenny Arnold – Registered Dental Assistant
Jenny was born and raised in Ellensburg and has been in the dental field for seven years now. Jenny joined our team in 2020 and looks forward to meeting new people and helping them in achieving their ideal smiles. Jenny has a contagious smile and is always looking for ways to help make our team successful. When Jenny is not at work, you will find her on a hiking trail or riding her bike with her dog not far behind.
Aria Schlaefer- Registered Dental Assistant
Aria has been in Ellensburg since high school. She has attended Brigham Young University in Idaho and has plans to become a dental hygienist. Aria loves meeting new people and hearing their life stories. She is an experienced road-tripper who loves hiking and kayaking, even in the winter! Aria also loves to cook with her husband and relaxing with a good book from time to time.