Dr. Robin Smith
Dentist
Dr. Robin Smith is a Chattanooga native. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga in 1979 and graduated from the UT College of Dentistry in 1985. He has been practicing dentistry for 36 years, and he and his wife Vickie live in Ooltewah, Tennessee.
Outside of the office, Dr. Robin enjoys all things construction. He is usually working on a home improvement project. Dr. Smith is also an avid Harley Davidson fan and owner. He and his wife Vickie enjoy rides on their bikes around town and the surrounding area regularly! Together, he and Vickie have three children and eight grandchildren that live in the Chattanooga area.
Dr. Patrick Im
Dentist
Dr. Patrick Im is a 1995 graduate of the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry. He’s been practicing general dentistry for 26 years now and earned the prestigious Fellow designation at the Las Vegas Institute for Aesthetic Dentistry in 2009. Dr. Im has also practiced in a hospital dental clinic setting and feels at home with patients of all walks of life, meeting various dental needs and providing long lasting solutions.
Creating the most gentle and painless dental visits, while providing high quality and aesthetic results is what Dr. Im finds rewarding everyday. He particularly loves treating chronic pain for patients suffering from TMJ (craniofacial disorders) and providing non-invasive physiologic-based techniques to relieve medical symptoms like tension headaches, migraines, neck-shoulder-back pain, jaw popping pain, tinnitus, clenching, and grinding just to name a few. Dr. Im also provides sleep apnea appliances for those patients who are CPAP intolerant and for those wanting to avoid invasive surgery.
Outside of the office, Dr. Im enjoys traveling with his wife and their three children. Dr. Im is also an avid player of golf, tennis, basketball, swimming, and cycling.
Kara Atchley
Dental Hygienist
Kara has worked at the North Chattanooga office with Dr. Robin for 27 of her 29 year hygiene career! She loves building personal relationships with her patients and looks forward to their talks, although a bit muffled. Kara has two amazing daughters that are her rocks. We can’t wait for more patients to be able to experience her personal touch and quality care in the years to come!
Stacie Clark
Dental Hygienist
Stacie has been in the dental field for a total of 26 years. She spent 12 years as a dental assistant and 14 as a dental hygienist. She has known since 5th grade that she wanted to be a dental hygienist and loves getting to know her patients! Stacie has been married to Eric for 19 years and they have two kids, Lake and Saylor, who are both active in sports. Stacie is also an animal lover and has four dogs that she considers to be her kids too.
Peggy O'Brien
Dental Hygienist
Peggy has been a hygienist for 37 years and with Dr. Robin Smith for 19 years! She is proud to be part of the Winn Smiles team and is looking forward to continuing to serve her long time patients, as well as meet new ones and care for them in the best way possible! Peggy has three grown children and six precious grandchildren that she loves spending time with.
Kelly Swafford
Dental Assistant
Kelly has been a registered dental assistant for 24 years! She has two beautiful children, Noah and Jacy. In her spare time, Kelly loves to be with her animals and enjoy the outdoors! Kelly brings so much life and energy to the team, you can hear how much she enjoys her work and her work family. She’s such a joy to be around, and we are sure you will love Kelly as much as we do.
Gabby Ayala
Dental Assistant
Gabby loved going to the dentist at a very young age and knew she wanted to pursue a career in the dental field. Gabby graduated from Chattanooga State Dental Assisting program and immediately joined the Winn Smiles North Chattanooga team. Gabby’s relationships with both patients and her work family is what makes her absolutely love coming to work everyday. When Gabby isn’t bouncing around the office, you can find her bouncing around with her puppy Koa, or at the lake with her family and friends.
Lauren Cross
Dental Assistant
Lauren is a Mississippi native, but she has lived in Chattanooga for the past two years. Lauren has been a dental assistant for four years and has recently received additional education and training as an expanded functions dental assistant, which allows her to care for patients and perform dental fillings alongside the dentist. Lauren was married in September this year and loves to spend time with her family and friends. She loves having brunch, crafting, spending time outdoors, and being a plant mom! Lauren is passionate about her patients and understands that many have anxieties about going to the dentist. Lauren does her best to ensure patients have trust and confidence in her and Dr. Im and works to put them at ease. Seeing patients smiling and happy as they leave her chair is the best feeling and reward.
Dr. Joshua McKinney
Dentist
Dr. Joshua McKinney is a Chattanooga native who was born and raised in Ooltewah, TN. He graduated high school at McCallie, and then went on to complete his undergraduate studies at Wofford College. During his time at Wofford, he had the opportunity to play college baseball. It was during this season of his life that he cultivated a passion for helping others. After graduating, Dr. McKinney attended the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry where he received his Doctorate of Dental Surgery.
Dr. McKinney is married to his beautiful wife Brittney, and together they have a two-year-old son named Cooper. The McKinny family is involved with their local church, and they have a passion for giving back to their community. When he’s not at the office, Dr. McKinney enjoys fishing, golfing, fitness, and spending time outside with his family.
Dr. McKinney was blessed with several amazing mentors throughout life. They pushed him to persevere and strive toward excellence by challenging himself with the pursuit of knowledge. This has transferred to his passion for dentistry, where he has far exceeded the minimum required hours of continued education. He believes in patient-centered care by understanding that each patient is unique, and he seeks to exceed their goals and expectations.
Candy Payne
Administrative Associate
Candy has been with Dr. Robin and the North Chattanooga office for 19 years! She loves all of our patients like they are family. Candy has been married for 22 years to her best friend Gary, and they have two boys, Garrett and Bryson, along with their fur babies, Biscuit and Jelly. Baseball is a family passion and on the weekends Candy can be found at the ballfield, either in the stands cheering on the boys, or behind the booth at concessions!