Meet The Staff
The standard of care that our staff provides far exceeds what is required of them. Not only do we offer quality care and over 100 years of total combined experience … we are a family and we treat our patients like family. Meet our very special staff below!
FRANKIE DRUM – Office Manager/Clinical Assistant
Frankie is our most tenured employee, having worked for Gaston Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery since 1995. Frankie’s meticulous attention to detail and overwhelming familiarity with Oral & Maxillofacial procedures have helped to ensure patient safety and success for more than two decades. Additionally, she has achieved certification through the Dental Anesthesia Assistant Certification Examination (DAANCE). She and her husband, Keith, have one son and one lovely grandson. She and Keith enjoy traveling, especially on a cruise ship!
JENNIFER HALL – Insurance Coordinator
Jennifer joined Gaston OMS in January of 2020 and has quickly become a huge asset to the team. She has her Associates degree in Medical Billing and Coding and has 8 years of experience. She enjoys problem solving and is committed to simplifying the billing process for every patient so they can focus on their health. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys spending quality time with her husband, 3 stepdaughters & friends, traveling, reading, & listening to music. She also loves watching sports (Go Cowboys!)
DAWN ATKINSON – Front Office Administrator
Dawn began her dental career at Gaston OMS in 2005. She is great at making sure all patients have the information they need and are comfortable about their upcoming appointment. Whether she is scheduling appointments for the office or the hospital, Dawn truly enjoys helping patients. She is also tasked with another very important job; brewing the day’s first pot of coffee. When not at work, Dawn enjoys spending time with her family, shopping, and decorating her home. She and her husband, Paul, enjoy traveling and of course, rooting on their favorite sports teams; The Carolina Tarheels and the Carolina Panthers!
LYNDSEY BROWN – Front Office Administrator
Lyndsey was born and raised in Belmont and graduated from South Point High School. She joined our team at Gaston OMS in May of 2021 as a front office administrator. She has been working in the dental field since 2016. When not in the office she loves spending time with her friends, family and 5 dogs. Lyndsey’s favorite thing to do is to go fishing! She is very passionate about making sure every patient feels important and enjoys their visit with us
CAROLINE SHEPARD – Front Office Administrator
Caroline grew up in Bessemer City and graduated from Tabernacle Christian Academy in Dallas. She studied at Gaston College and graduated with her Associates Degree in General Education, and she is a licensed cosmetologist. She married her high school sweetheart and together they have one daughter. Caroline enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors. She joined Gaston OMS in November of 2021 and has worked in the dental field since 2019. Her favorite part about working in oral surgery is being able to help make patients feel comfortable and make their visit with us an easy one.
LISA PRATHER – Front Office Administrator/Recovery Room Assistant
Lisa has many years of dental experience. She began working in the field of dentistry in May 2008. She came to work at Gaston OMS in February 2022. She is quite versatile in oral surgery, working everywhere from front office administrator to clinical recovery assistant. She and her husband, Jamie, a retired police officer, have been married since 2005. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family, especially her niece and nephews. She also enjoys baking goodies and sharing them with her co-workers. She is an avid Major League Baseball fan, and her favorite teams are the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs. Lisa loves helping patients and making their visit as pleasant as possible!
Brittany rawlinson – clinical assistant/ recovery room assistant
Brittany joined our practice in October 2023. She became interested in the dental field after graduating from high school. She received her dental assisting certificate from Lake Wylie Dental Assisting School. Brittany enjoys instructing the patients on their home care after their surgery. When she isn’t working, Brittany likes to spend time with her family, her friends and shopping.
emily miller – clinical assistant
Emily joined our practice in 2012 as a clinical assistant. She knew at an early age she wanted to be in the dental field. She attended Myers Park School of Dental Assisting to obtain her dental assisting certification. Outside of the office, Emily enjoys spending time with her husband, Alex, their handsome son, Brooks and their dog, Rylie. She loves to laugh and cheer on her favorite team, the Duke Blue Devils!
ASHLEY Saffel – Clinical Assistant
Ashley started working at Gaston OMS in 2018 and has been a very versatile employee, working with both the administrative and clinical aspects of the practice. She has always been interested in pursuing a career in dentistry, ultimately leading to her DA2 degree from Lake Norman Dental Assisting School. Ashley is from Forest City, NC and loves spending time with her husband, Nick, their precious sons, Joey and Elias and their dogs, Luna and Murphy. As an avid sports fan, Ashley is a devout Steelers fan.
CANDACE POOLE – Clinical Assistant
Candace began working with us in January 2022, however she has been working in the dental field since 2012. She graduated from Kaplan College with a Dental Assisting (DA2) certificate and most recently prepared for and passed her Dental Assistant National Certification Examination (DAANCE). She has also taken on the OSHA and Radiology Officer roles in our Shelby office. She is originally from Kings Mountain, NC and graduated from Kings Mountain High School. Her favorite aspect of oral surgery is helping patients improve their smiles, their self-confidence and ultimately their overall health. Candace is married to her husband, Cody and has 2 beautiful children, Keaten and Kallie. She loves sports and her favorite teams are Duke basketball, the Dallas Cowboys and anything soccer!
allie kay homesley – Clinical Assistant
Allie Kay began working with us in May 2023. She was born and raised in Cherryville, NC where she graduated from Cherryville High School. She was interested in the dental field at a very young age and started working in general dentistry at the age of 18. She received her dental assisting certificate from Lake Norman Dental Assisting School. This led her in the direction of becoming a Surgical Dental Assistant. When Allie Kay is not at work, she enjoys all things outdoors and spending time with her family, friends, and fur babies. Her overall goal is to make the patients feel confident and comfortable while they are in our office.