Dr. Shouresh Charkhandeh began his post-secondary education at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Sciences. He continued on to pursue Dentistry at University of Alberta and completed his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2006. While attending Dental School he obtained his Bachelor of Medical Sciences in 2004. He graduated as one of the top students in his class, earning numerous awards including; Arthur D. Cumming scholarship, Pacific Coast Society for Prosthodontics and The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry Award for Excellence in Prosthodontics.

After completing his degrees, Dr. Charkhandeh returned to Calgary to begin his Dental career. He joined Sierra Centre for Dental Wellness in June 2006 as he found that it fit with his ideals of patient centered care. He enjoys all facets of Dentistry but his particular areas of interest include Cosmetic Dentistry, Sleep Apnea, Orthodontics and working with children. Most recently, he has developed a program for patients suffering from sleep apnea in an effort to bring more awareness to this serious health risk, which he feels has not had much exposure from the dental community in the past.

Dr. Charkhandeh has taken numerous advanced courses on Cosmetic Dentistry including courses from the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Cosmetic and Neuromuscular Dentistry (LVI), Orthodontics, TMD and Sleep Apnea. He strongly believes in the importance of continuing education to expand his knowledge of dentistry and also to be familiar with the most recent findings, technologies and improvements in this ever-progressing field.

Dr. Charkhandeh is an accredited member of:

• American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
• Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Cosmetic and Neuromuscular Dentistry (LVI) Alumni
• American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine
• International Association for Orthodontics
• Canadian Dental Association
• Alberta Dental Association and College
• Calgary and District Dental Society

In his relatively short time with Sierra Centre Dr. Charkhandeh has created a solid client base built on trust and open communication. He has been an excellent asset to the team at Sierra. When he's not busy working or taking continuing education courses, he enjoys being with his family and friends.

Dr. Dan Rootes was born May 31, 1977 and raised in North Vancouver, British Columbia. He attended the University of British Columbia (UBC) obtaining his degree in Agricultural Sciences. He continued to pursue Dentistry through UBC and received his DMD in May 2006. While attending UBC he played on the Varsity Football Team, winning a National Championship in 1997 and was awarded All-Star recognition.

After obtaining his undergraduate degree, Dr. Rootes traveled for one year to South-East Asia and Australia; a trip that readied him for the arduous journey through dental school. Upon graduating, Dr. Rootes decided to make the trek East to Calgary, Alberta. As he had other family members living in Calgary, the move was ideal. He joined Sierra Centre for Dental Wellness in July 2006. He was attracted to the practice as he shared the same philosophy as Dr. Knebel; every client is unique and a holistic view of their health, along with genuine listening to the client's needs, was imperative before an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan could be determined.

He enjoys all aspects of dentistry but is especially interested in Prosthodontics, Esthetics, Endodontics and Family Dentistry. Recently, Dr. Rootes was awarded "Outstanding Promise as a Young Dentist" with a scholarship to attend LVI courses, selected from numerous affiliations within the dental community. He is a Certified Laser Therapist, completed an externship in oral surgery at the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health hospital in New York City and has attended numerous other continuing education courses in his first two years of dentistry.

In his spare time Dr. Rootes is very active with outdoor pursuits including hockey, football, snowboarding, golf, and fishing. He enjoys spending time with family and friends and he continues to pursue his Dental education through courses and conferences throughout Canada and the United States. Dr. Rootes has quickly become an integral member to the Team at Sierra Centre for Dental Wellness through his ability to communicate and develop strong rapport with his clients.

Dr Frank Giesbrecht graduated from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Dentistry in 1970. He received awards each year in the Faculty of Dentistry for Academic and Clinical excellence. In his 4th year he was elected Student Body President and that remains one of his most cherishing and fulfilling memories of being a dental student.

He engaged in a brief 6 year career as a Dental Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces gaining an honorable discharge and retiring with the rank of Major. Following his departure from the military he relocated his family to Calgary and continues to practice to this day.

Dr Giesbrecht has practiced General dentistry for 30 years and has continued to study and become proficient in a variety of areas such as sedation dentistry, head and neck pain, smile designs and all aspects of adult general dentistry.

After selling his practice in the winter of 2005 he took some time to travel and rest and has since joined the team at Sierra Dental as an associate dentist.

Frank has 4 young grandchildren and has found his new role as a grandparent very fulfilling. Aside from interests in tennis and golf he enjoys being a leader of small home group bible study.

Dr Giesbrecht continues his passion for dentistry and looks forward to continuing his beloved profession as an associate at Sierra Dental for many years to come.

Dr. Felix Zhang completed his 1st dental degree in 1988 and received a master degree in oral surgery in 1991 in China. He worked for 5 years as an oral surgeon before moving to Canada in 1996.

In 2000, Dr. Felix Zhang obtained a PhD degree in oral health sciences at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a 2nd Dental degree in 2005 at University of Alberta. He joined the Sierra Centre in November 2005 on a part-time basis, during which, he focused on oral surgeries and root canals. He enjoyed working at the Sierra Centre so much that he accepted a full-time position a few months later. Dr. Zhang offers all aspects of dentistry with special skills and interests in difficult extractions including wisdom teeth, implant, bone graft, gum surgery and difficult root canals.

Dr. Zhang's wife, Nancy, was also an oral surgeon in China but now focuses on raising their two children. His 18-year old son, Richard, is attending university in the fall of 2007 and also has an interest in dentistry. His daughter, Carol, 4 years old, is going to kindergarten.

Dr. Tymkiw is a native of Western Canada where he completed his undergraduate education. He earned his dental degree with honors in 2003 and practiced general dentistry for 2 years before returning to the University of Iowa to study periodontics. He earned his Specialty Certificate in Periodontics and a Master’s of Science degree from the University of Iowa in 2008. He also received his certification in Intravenous Sedation and Advanced Cardiac Life Support. Dr. Tymkiw is a fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada and an active member of numerous dental organizations and societies including the American Academy of Periodontology, The Canadian and B.C. associations of Period ontology, The American Academy of Ossteointegration and The American Society of Dental Anesthesiologists.

Dr. Tymkiw is committed to academic study and has published several articles on periodontics and has lectured at numerous venues. He has advanced training and experience in all faucets of periodontics and implant surgery and is dedicated to offering the latest surgical techniques.

• Limited or complete periodontal evaluation
• Surgical and non-surgical periodontal therapy
• Surgical implant placement
• Ridge and sinus augmentation
• Extractions and ridge preservations
• Gingival grafting
• Functional & Esthetic crown lengthening
• Periodontal regeneration
• Oral Pathology
• IV conscious sedation

Dr. Tymkiw look's forward to assisting you and your family members with their periodontal health.

Dr. Griffin Myers has been a resident of Calgary for a total of 27 years and is a proud Calgarian. He began his distinguished career by receiving a Bachelor of Science from the University of Calgary and completing a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. After completing dental school, Dr. Myers and his family moved back to Calgary where he can raise his three children in a family oriented city with plenty of outdoor activities and day trips. Growing up Dr. Myers was a member of the Blizzards soccer team, Cowboys football team and the Canada Olympic Park ski team.

Dr. Myers continually strives to advance his knowledge of modern dental care and procedures. He is a member of many prestigious professional organizations such as the Alberta Dental Association and College, the Nevada Dental Association and the Calgary Dental Society. He looks forward to caring for the dental needs of Calgarian’s and giving back to the City that has given him the opportunity to pursue his dreams.

Dr. David graduated from the  University of Alberta Department of Dentistry in 1998. Following this he participated as a general practice resident at the University Hospital in Edmonton for one year where he treated medically compromised patients. Since then he has held several teaching positions through the department of Dentistry including:

1. Assistant clinical instructor in the dental student oral surgery clinic at the Department of Dentistry in Edmonton.
2. Clinical instructor in the University of Alberta Hospital dental clinic.
3. Clinical instructor in the University satellite clinics  located in High Level and McLennan.

During this time he also practiced  general dentistry in remote regions such as Fort Nelson and Jasper returning back to Calgary in 2001. In 2003 he began to narrow his practice focus to surgical procedures until 2005 when he limited the majority of his practice to surgical procedures. During this year  Dr. David became certified in single agent conscious sedation upon completion of the course offered by the University of Alberta Department of Dentistry. Dr. David is a general dentist; thus, he still performs dental procedures when operating as a locum. However, the majority of his work is surgical in nature.