Our Team

I come as local as they get, I am born and raised in Ashland Oregon. From SOU preschool, to Bellview elementary, and to being a grizzly at AHS, I have the privilege of being a product of this community. I come from a wonderful supportive family. My late father Dave Kitchell left a wonderful legacy by being a coach and teacher in this community for over 25 years. I love to spend time with both my mother Tricia, who still teaches at Talent Middle School, and my sister, Mackenzie, who is finishing college.  After graduating from AHS, I attended the University of Oregon. Go Ducks! I graduated with a degree in General science with an emphasis on Organic Chemistry and Anatomy.  I worked in Dr. Jackson’s office during the summers, and the time I spent with him in his office inspired me to become a dentist. I looked up to him as a man who promoted the health of his patients, relieved their pain, and brightened their smiles—all while having fun.  I graduated from the Oregon Health & Sciences University School of Dentistry and moved back to the Rogue Valley to practice with my uncle, Dr. Jackson. Following Dr. Jackson’s retirement, I took over the practice. I spend my free time now as a volunteer coach at AHS, as a member of the Elks, and spending time with my family, friends and beautiful wife Kate, enjoying all the Rogue Valley has to offer. I would love to earn your respect and trust as not only your dentist, but as a proud member of this community.

Having grown up all my life in Kailua, HI, my first time leaving the island for any significant amount of time was for dental school at OHSU in Portland, OR. There Dr. Kitchell and I met and developed a close relationship. After graduating I worked as a general dentist for a year before deciding to further my future goals as a clinician by pursuing the specialty of prosthodontics. I was lucky enough to get accepted to a handful of programs before deciding on the prosthodontic program at The University of Tennessee. There I had the privilege to serve a diverse patient population with complex restorative needs under the guidance of highly skilled specialists. After three years, I earned my prosthodontic specialty certificate, Masters of Dental Sciences (MDS), and Certificate in Dental Technology (CDT). As a prosthodontist, I specialize in treating and handling dental and facial problems that involve restoring missing tooth and jaw structures. This inludes cosmetics, dental implants, crowns, bridges, dentures, temporomandibular disorders (TMJ/TMD), and more. By choosing dentistry as my profession, I have taken on the ethical responsibility to uphold the standard of care through self-assessment and lifelong learning. Maintaining awareness of new developments in the dental field allows me to evaluate scientific advances and apply relevant information to fundamental concepts and practices I have already internalized. The ultimate goal is to communicate and deliver the best treatment options to the patients I serve. I look forward to helping the people of southern Oregon in any way I can with their dental restorative needs!

Raised in Ashland and a former childhood patient of Dr. Jackson, Kirsten returned to the office upon completion of her education and has been here ever since. Kirsten completed her Bachelors of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene at Oregon Institute of Technology in 2000. She enjoys the beautiful Southern Oregon outdoors, reading and is a professional photographer as well. She is the mother of two very active children and enjoys taking them to junior golf tournaments throughout the state of Oregon. She is socially active in the community and enjoys supporting and participating in community activities and events.Patient care and comfort are her top priority and she looks forward to building relationships with her patients.

I am the official dental dog of the office. My dad, Dr. Kitchell, has been putting me to work for the past two and a half years. My jobs include napping in the back office, getting treats and trying to sneak food from the refrigerator. If you would like to say hi to me just ask! I’m hypoallergenic and love to meet new people!