Why Choose Us?
Sam Richey, DDS
Dr. Samuel Richey is caring and thoughtful in his efforts to help his patients receive quality dental care. As a dentist he enjoys helping them improve the health and appearance of their smile through the use of cosmetic, orthodontic, or implant treatment. He and his wife, Heather, are happily married and have eight beautiful children. They reside in the Riverton-Herriman area.
Sam grew up on a family farm in eastern Idaho, where he dreamed of being an adventurer while he herded sheep, chased a bear, raised buffalo, and dug “spuds.” He graduated as a mechanical engineer and worked in robotics at INEL and later as a fuel engineer at Geneva Steel. He was fortunate after dental school to be trained for two years at an advanced cosmetic and family dental office in Albany, Oregon. He then started a family practice in Boise with an emphasis in cosmetics, orthodontics, and implants. After leaving Idaho, he started practicing here in Utah in 2005. He has received a fellowship in implants from the Misch Institute. Sam has a heart of service and adventure, as he and Heather traveled to the Andes Mountains to a Peruvian Orphanage, “The Sunflower,” to provide dental treatment and teach hygiene and dental care. Sam enjoys hiking, running, sports, beekeeping, and continuing his dental education.
Meet Our Team
Our friendly, knowledgeable team works alongside Dr. Samuel Richey to provide you with caring, heart-in-hand dental care in Riverton, Utah. We invite you to get to know the amazing individuals who work hard to stay current on the latest dental procedures and business opportunities so that we can offer you the best possible treatments. We look forward to getting to know you and your family as we treat your smiles and follow up with you after your appointments. Contact us today to learn more about us and to schedule an appointment with our dentist!
Alisa Davenport, RDH – Dental Hygienist
Alisa joined our office in June 2013. She works alongside Lori as a part-time hygienist and normally sees patients on Tuesdays. Alisa was born in Northern Idaho and grew up mostly in the Idaho-Washington area, although her elementary school years were spent in Las Vegas, Nevada. In high school, she worked in a dental office and has wanted to become a dental hygienist ever since. She attended BYU-I for a couple of years, receiving her associates degree, before transferring to Idaho State University. There, she received her bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene. While attending ISU, Alisa met her husband and they were married two weeks before she started her final year of dental hygiene school. After graduating, Alisa and Jason moved to the Salt Lake valley for Jason’s job. Alisa worked full time as a hygienist for two years before having her first son. She then stopped working so she could be a full-time mommy while occasionally working as a temp hygienist. Now that she has her job as a mom down, she is very excited to be working one day a week as our hygienist. She loves the dental field and getting to know patients and helping them achieve optimal oral health and a beautiful smile.
Alisa enjoys reading, taking walks, baking, decorating her house, spending time with family, and running after her two sons. She also loves to travel and hopes to one day be able to do more of it!
Lori Sterrett, RDH – Dental Hygienist
Lori began working for us in February 2011. She is working alongside Alisa as a part-time hygienist and normally sees patients on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and occasionally Fridays. Lori was born and raised in Salt Lake, and after graduating high school she attended BYU-Idaho and took a year studying interior design. She was then married and had four children, who are all now adults. Two are graduates from college, three are married and three have now given her six grandchildren! Being a full-time stay-at-home mom has been her greatest joy, but as her children began to grow older, she felt it was time to be a part of something more. After weighing her options, having always been very fascinated with the dental industry, she went back to school and has loved the journey; she is looking forward to what’s ahead. Lori loves working with people and making them feel comfortable and at home, even if it’s in the dental chair.
Lori was recently remarried to a great man named Steve, and they currently live in the Ogden area. She has always been interested in community service and would like to extend her training to helping others, locally and in other countries. In 2015, she and Dr. Samuel Richey traveled to Ecuador to provide humanitarian dental aid to the people there; the experience was life changing. She loves being with family, eating out, going to a good movie or reading a good book. Camping and boating are also up there on the list, and she loves to travel as well!
Makaylie Mongillo – Dental Assistant
Makaylie has been a part of Lighthouse Dental & Orthodontics since the beginning of 2018. She is a hardworking, helpful and dedicated dental assistant. We are lucky to have her as part of our team.
Makaylie is incredibly hard working and contributes greatly to the daily operation of our office.
Tiara Workman – Dental Assistant
Tiara joined our team at Lighthouse Dental & Orthodontics in July of 2017 as a dental assistant. We have loved having her as an added team member in our office. She is gentle and kind and makes a great effort to listen to our patients and their concerns. These qualities, along with her positive and upbeat attitude, help our patients feel at home and well taken care of. She loves going to the dentist and wants to help others have a great experience too. You will never see Tiara being idle; she loves to keep busy and loves learning all things dentistry!
Tiara was born in Phoenix, Arizona, but has lived most of her life in Utah. She comes from a family of six, being the youngest of four kids with three older brothers. She also has a dog named Maple whom she adores. She has had a desire to work in the dental field since she was about 8 years old. At a young age she developed a fascination for teeth and wanted to turn that into a career. After graduating high school, she served an LDS mission in Busan, South Korea. Upon returning home, she attended Genesis School of Dental Assisting and is currently attending Salt Lake Community College to receive her associates degree. Tiara is engaged to be married to the love of her life next May. Tiara loves to cook, organize, draw/paint, exercise and hike. On a side note, she flosses every day, and she cares if you do, too!
Tessa Wright – Front Office
Tessa joined our team at Lighthouse Dental & Orthodontics in October of 2013 as a dental assistant. In 2017, she transitioned to working up front as our office receptionist. We have loved having her as a team member in our office. She is very capable and skilled and is great with our patients. In fact, our patients are one of the many reasons Tessa loves working in our office! She has always had a zeal for meeting new people and loves being able to serve those in her community. She also loves being able to show compassion for the patients she serves and considers it a priority to make them feel comfortable by meeting all their needs with a smile.
Tessa was born and raised here in Utah and now resides in Bluffdale with her husband, Anthony. She graduated from Itineris Early College High School and from Premier Dental Assisting School. She then studied health care management and graduated from Western Governors University. Tessa comes from a family of seven and is the youngest of four older brothers. Having this background, she has learned to love all sports, especially football (GO COWBOYS!). When Tessa isn’t at work, you can almost always find her in the kitchen, as she loves to cook and bake. She is also passionate about playing music on the piano and on the harp.
Our Team
All photos taken on this page are copyright Mallory Christensen – www.mallorychristensen.com