Meet our Team

Allison graduated from the Dental Hygiene Program at Parkland College. She is passionate about providing individualized patient care and helping patients to better their oral hygiene. Outside of work she loves to travel, paddle board, crochet, and play with her two fur babies (Jasmine and Jupiter). 

Ariel graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Advertising and has a background in administrative services. She found the dental field shortly after having her son. She enjoys learning more about the dental field while meeting new people. In her free time she enjoys hanging out with her family and tending to her chickens. 

Arleen graduated from Parkland college with an associate's degree in business. Shortly after graduation she joined the dental field and became a dental assistant in 2002. She loves putting smiles on patients faces and does her best to promote pain free dentistry. She firmly believes in the mantra "A smile says a thousand words". Arleen has three kids and 4 grandkids. Outside of work she enjoys spending her free time with her whole family. 

Brittani graduated from the dental hygiene program at Lakeland Community College and has been practicing dental hygiene since 2017. She enjoys helping patients understand the importance of good oral hygiene and helping them have an enjoyable visit.  She has been married since 2020 and has one daughter named Harper. Outside of work Brittani enjoys hanging out with friends and family and traveling.

Courtney has been in the dental field since 2014. Doing orthodontics here at Illini Smiles gives her the opportunity to change lives and smiles. In her free time she loves to be  with her husband, 2 kids and farm animals! She loves anything outdoors, including boating and all her kids' sporting activities. Courtney also admits to having a -slight- shoe obsession.

Danielle started working in the dental world and enjoyed it and her team for two years. However, she ended up leaving dental to work in the medical field but found herself missing dentistry. She eventually found her way back to it, and she loves what she does! She enjoys working with our team and the wonderful people she meets on a daily basis. When she is not enjoying her job, she loves spending time with her family, and going on weekend adventures with her husband, their daughter and fur baby Baren. 

Delaynie graduated in 2017 from the Parkland Dental Hygiene program and has been with our team since 2018. As a dental hygienist she is passionate about her work and loves educating and caring for her patients. She is very family oriented and has one son. She is an avid reader and enjoys movies- especially sci-fi! Delaynie can't wait to meet you and provide an at ease dental visit. 

Liz grew up in Ottawa, IL and then attended Chicago School of Phlebotomy. She has been in the dental field since 2021. She enjoys the interactions and building relationships with the great patients here at Illini. Outside of the office she enjoys hanging out in nature, listening to music and cuddling her kitties.

Emily joined our team in fall of 2025 as a dental assistant. She enjoys educating patients on their procedure and helping them feel comfortable during their appointment. Outside of work she loves to craft, knit (she's been knitting since she was 7!), spending time with her family and gardening. 

Kristin has been in the dental business industry since 2012. She became part of the Illini Smiles team in 2016 and looks forward to continuing to grow with Dr. Xu and his team. Kristin enjoys getting to know patients and answer any questions they may have. She is married to her husband James and has 2 kids and 2 dogs! They all love being outdoors any chance they get. Together they enjoy riding dirt bikes, camping and making memories as a family.

Linna has been in the dental field since 2015 and practicing dental hygiene since 2020. She graduated from Parkland College Dental Hygiene program. She loves helping her patients improve their oral health and enjoys making a personal connection. She has been married since 2021 and has a son name Korbin. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family.

Mackynzie has been a dental assistant since 2020. She is originally from southeast Missouri and now lives in a small local town with her boyfriend and her two dogs. Mackynzie is passionate about making her patients feel comfortable and cared for during their visits. In her free time, she loves spending time in the sun, baking sweet treats and relaxing with her family. 

Samantha has been in orthodontics since 2021. She loves watching our patients smiles change and the joy it brings them. She has two children, one boy and one girl . She is a firm believer in potatoes being in their own food group. She urges you to follow our ortho department on TikTok! @IlliniOrtho