Castle Peak Dental
Meet Our Doctors
Dr. Summer Kassmel
Dr. Kassmel is committed to treating each patient as an individual and helping people achieve their goals for a healthy and beautiful smile. She is the state’s only GP Platinum Plus Level Invisalign® Provider and has over 500 hours of continuing education hours. She has practiced in Eagle, Colorado since 2004 and enjoys the small-town atmosphere and community.
Dr. Melanie Albers
Dr. Melanie Albers has extensive training in pediatric dentistry and nitrous sedation. She has attended over 400 hours of continuing education courses, including endodontics and the restoration of implants. Dr. Melanie Albers always enjoys seeing her patients and giving them back the form and function they may have lost due to wear, broken, or missing teeth.
Dr. David Drescher
Dr. Drescher enjoys every element of general dentistry and is excellent at ensuring that his patients are at ease, comfortable, and informed. He works tediously to make sure that every member of your family has a fantastic experience.
Dr. Mallory Mayeda
Dr. Mayeda’s favorite part of dentistry is developing quality relationships with her patients and collaborating with them to create their best treatment plans and oral health goals.
Dr. Dominic Milano
Dr. Milano’s philosophy of care is to treat every patient as if they were his own family. He ensures all his patients are informed about their dental care and strives to provide the most comfortable and precise care possible.
Meet The Team
Debbie Dodson
Practice Director
Debbie has been in the dental field for 25 years. She was a Registered Dental Hygienist for 10 years, before moving to the administrative side of the dental team. She has taken extensive courses in dental insurance utilization and customized treatment planning. She has received certification in Dentrix and SoftDent. Her knowledge of dental insurance and her true desire to help each patient maximize their benefits make Debbie an invaluable member of Castle Peak Dental’s team.
Amy Meryhew
Registered Dental Hygienist
Amy is exceptional at educating patients on whole health and wellness, which includes customized plans for each patient’s oral health. She has extensive training in periodontal disease and utilizing diode lasers to improve healing. Amy maintains her continuing education by attending over 30 hours of coursework every year. She has been in hygiene for over 20 years and maintains her passion for helping people attain oral health and the beautiful smile they deserve!
Kylee Montoya
Registered Dental Hygienist
Kylee was born and raised in Grand Junction, Colorado. She obtained her bachelor's degree in health and exercise science at Colorado State University which is where she also met her husband Ben. She then got her license in Dental hygiene at Community College of Denver and moved back to the valley to begin practicing. She has been working in the dental field since 2013 and has gone through extensive training in periodontal disease and utilizing diode lasers to improve healing.
Brittany Lopez
Dental Assistant, Invisalign Lead Assistant
Brittany is a local to the Vail Valley and has been a team member with Castle Peak Dental since 2014. She graduated from Battle Mountain High School in 2008 and from Intellitec Medical Institute in Colorado Springs, as a certified dental assistant in 2010. She has extensive training in Invisalign clear aligner therapy, Trios scanning, as well as many continuing education hours to further her expertise in the field of dentistry. Brittany enjoys building relationships with the team and patients at Castle Peak Dental and is exceptional at assisting in pediatric procedures.
Xiomara Herrera
Dental Assistant
Xiomara is a Colorado native born and raised in the Vail Valley area. She graduated in 2015 from Battle Mountain High School and attended The Salon Professional Academy where she received her diploma in Cosmetology. She has 3 sisters and 3 nieces and amazing parents - she loves her family! She also owns a white husky with which she spends most of her time. She recently started attending Dental Assisting School at Castle Peak Dental and is looking forward to her new career in dentistry.
Zoey Holcomb
Dental Assistant
Zoey is from Olathe, Kansas, and became a certified dog groomer in 2017. Five years later she and her husband bought their first house in Eagle, ready for a new adventure. Being growth-minded is a very important core value in Zoey's life, she loves learning new skills and helping her team succeed. Zoey is currently training to become a dental assistant and cannot wait to help bring a smile to her neighbor's faces. When she's not working, you can find her outdoors and traveling. Zoey has been to 10 countries and cannot wait to see them all.
Carlos Granados Cruz
Dental Assistant
Carlos is originally from Mexico. As a dental assistant, he helps the doctors and his co-workers to provide the best dental health service possible. His favorite hobbies include swimming, hiking with his pets, and cooking. He looks forward to serving the patients at Castle Peak Dental.
Leeiah Gurule
Dental Assistant
Leeiah, a Colorado native, is making an exciting career change from her years of experience as a medical receptionist to becoming a dental assistant. She has a deep interest in the dental field and is eager to apply her current skills to helping patients enjoy their dental visits as well as supporting her team. Outside of work, Leeiah enjoys reading, painting, and spending time with her loved ones. She is dedicated to learning new skills related to patient care and admires the office’s core value of always looking for continuous growth.
Julie Parker
Treatment Coordinator, Universal Trainer
Julie moved to the Eagle area in July of 2018 from Massachusetts. She followed her dreams and shot for the stars to end up in beautiful Eagle, Colorado. Julie loves to fly fish and in her spare time, can be seen on the river with her sidekick, Drake. Drake is a black Labrador retriever.
Julie started her career as a dental assistant. She then graduated with her Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene degree. She moved to the administrative side of the field where she can shine to the patients without being in their mouths. Julie enjoys seeing her patients and hopes to bring a smile to each individual who comes into the office.
Sarah Love
Insurance and Billing Coordinator
Sarah has been with Castle Peak Dental since 2015. She moved here from Texas with her husband, Cagan to be closer to her family. They have two boys, Lincoln and Griffin. She enjoys being outdoors and spending time with family and friends. Some of her hobbies include arts and crafts, camping and floating the river with her family.
She began her career in dentistry several years before as a dental assistant, and since has moved to the administrative side of the field. She has received countless hours of continuing education training in improving the customer service experience as well as extensive training in dental insurance and utilization. Sarah is excited to be part of the team at Castle Peak, and is looking forwarding to meeting all of the patients!
Delsey Lopez
Scheduling and Treatment Coordinator
Delsey has lived in Colorado for 19 years and absolutely loves it here. Delsey graduated from Eagle Valley High School and attended Colorado Mountain College where she received her certificate as a CNA. When Delsey began working for Dr.David she realized how much she really enjoyed her job. She’s a really friendly individual and loves people over all. She enjoys working with others just as much as she enjoys her job. She has two beautiful children, Jordan and Sophia with her high school sweet heart who she has been married to for 2 years. Family means everything to her! When she is not at work, she’s out exploring the world with her beautiful family.
Krista Butters
Scheduling and Treatment Coordinator
Krista grew up in Eagle, CO after her family moved to the area from Albuquerque, NM, where she was born. From there she moved to Colorado Springs to attend UCCS, where she graduated with a B.S. in Communications. After college, she found herself back in the mountains pursuing a career in management.
Krista and her husband Jason have 3 children, Teagan, Kinsley, and Cooper, as well as their Aussiedoodle, Tucker. As a family they enjoy camping, skiing, snowboarding, fishing and spending time with family and friends. Krista, though new to the dental field, has a passion for helping our patients feel comfortable and at ease to ensure they have the best dental experience. She is excited to be a part of our team and looks forward to serving our patients.
Allison Puppe
Insurance Coordinator
Allison grew up on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska and enjoyed a childhood of fishing, boating, hiking and camping with her family. She attended the University of Alaska Anchorage to complete her general credits then headed to Fargo, North Dakota with her sisters, to attend North Dakota State University. She graduated with a BS Degree in Business Administration, with a focus on Human Resources and after graduation headed back to the Mountains but in Colorado this time! After a couple of years in Colorado Springs she moved to the Vail Valley in 2004 and her and her husband Brian have made Eagle their home. They have two boys, August and Benjamin and as a family enjoy all of the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer. Allison is new to the Dental Field but is excited to be able to offer her Insurance knowledge to Castle Peak!
Melissa Rodriguez
Administrative Assistant
Melissa Rodriquez has been a local of the Eagle Valley since 1994. She graduated from Eagle Valley High School in 2010. Melissa has worked as a Front Office Supervisor at the Best Western Eagle Lodge & Suites and now use that skill set to facilitate business operations for Vail Valley Dental Assisting School, DA Schools Delivered, Castle Peak Dental, and Avon Dental.
Melissa and her husband, Juan, love spending their summers being adventurous with their two kids, Austin who is five, and Laylah who is one. One of their favorite things to do at the lake is pack a picnic and jump on the paddleboards. Melissa is excited to be a part of the team and grow within the company.
Jillian Jugert
Administrative Assistant
Jillian has been in the dentistry field for over 5 years where she has a successful track record with marketing and administrative work. She is excited to be on the team and make an impact with Vail Valley Dental Assisting School, DA Schools Delivered, Avon Dental, and Castle Peak Dental.
Jillian is from Colorado and enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, tap dancing, singing, traveling, and trying out new restaurants.
Amanda Heersink
Administrative Assistant
Amanda is a Colorado native and enjoys helping people in any capacity that they need. She attended the University of Colorado and received a BA in Communications, with a focus on Public Relations. She enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews as well as taking care of her 15-year-old miniature Dachshund, Roxy. She is new to the dental field and is excited to bring her more than 10 years of customer support experience to the team.
Victoria Lindsey
Executive Assistant
Victoria has provided high-level support to entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses since 2012 and has proven successful in a variety of industries. She assists Dr. Kassmel in numerous ventures and looks forward to growing alongside Castle Peak Dental, Avon Dental, Vail Valley Dental Assisting School, DA Schools Delivered in their quest to provide a “WOW” experience to every patient, doctor, and student. Victoria obtained her Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from the University of Colorado - Boulder and spent time studying abroad in both New Zealand and France. A Front Range local for over ten years, she lives in beautiful Longmont with her husband and two dogs. She enjoys being active with hiking, triathlons, skiing, yoga, and weightlifting, and is also an avid baker, live music aficionado, and travel lover.
Sarah Daniels
Administrative Assistant
Sarah Daniels is a Colorado girl born and raised. She grew up in a small town in Eastern Colorado and then moved to Colorado Springs to attend the Dental assisting program at PPCC. She worked for 8 years as an Expanded Functions dental assistant and absolutely loved it. About a year ago, she decided to switch from clinical to the administrative side of dental. She has a passion for both dentistry and patient care. She is about to graduate from CSU Pueblo with a BAS in Health Administration and couldn’t be more excited to use her new education with such a great practice. She spends most of her free time chasing around her 3 young kiddos, Eve, Sadie and Dax. She enjoys spending time at the reservoir, reading and traveling to new places.
Herman Parrenas
Front Office Virtual Assistant
Herman was born and raised in the Philippines. He loves and is very passionate about working in customer service and is happy to help those in need. He previously worked in healthcare insurance as a Customer Service Associate for member and provider services for both dental and medical. He has been appointed as a subject matter expert and promoted to Intern Assistant Manager in the BPO industry. He is a dog lover, and in his free time enjoys island hopping, watching fictional movies, playing online games and watching videos about cooking online.
Nathalie Aquino
Front Office Virtual Assistant
Natalie has over 8 years of experience as a customer service and virtual assistant. She coordinates a variety of administrative tasks, scheduling, emails, and insurance, as well as providing a great customer service experience. She has two beautiful daughters, Amarah and Amelia. When not working, she enjoys taking care of her kids and makes sure to always have family time – family means everything! She also loves singing and watching movies.
Yahaira Pizana Cordova
Dental Assistant
Yahaira was born and raised in Vail, CO. She graduated from Battle Mountain High school in 2021 and became certified as a nurse aide. She is new to the dental field and hopes to get into hygiene school to continue providing great dental health services to the community. Her hobbies are typically being outdoors, trying new restaurants, shopping, and spending quality time with her partner, family, and friends.
I'm very happy, they really helped me, they are always very friendly, like a family. I will definitely come back to them! Thank you!
- Jana B.
Emergency chipped front tooth on Saturday. The dentist on-call got back to me immediately & gave me my time choices. I choose an appointment on Monday. It took 1 hr, I was back to normal. Everyone at Castle Peak Dental is so attentive. They are amazing.
- Debbie M.
My husband and I are both dental patients at Castle Peak. We each had a recent six-month appointment and were greatly satisfied with the procedures and the outcomes. I love that Amy, and for that matter, all of the others in the practice, explains the procedures, accommodates my requests, and answer my questions. My husband has had similar experiences with his hygienist, Leesa. We are appreciative of Dr. Albers and Dr. Kassmel who attend to our special needs. We are always impressed with the advancements in the practice.
- Kathy O.
I have been a patient of Castle Peak Dental for a little over a year and have nothing but praise for their practice. As one who was terrified of dentists, I have been able to go without fear or stress. The staff is very nice and reassuring. Thank you for everything.
- David S.
I hadn't been to a dentist in 4 years and was nervous about going again, but Castle Peak made everything so easy and comfortable. I had a wonderful hygienist my first visit and had a root canal done by Dr. Albers who was fantastic. I felt zero pain during and after the procedure (not even any soreness!). They even gave me a blanket during the procedure and I could've easily fallen asleep while she worked on my tooth. The front desk is also very helpful and friendly which makes scheduling appointments a breeze. So glad to have found such a wonderful dentist in the valley.
- Hanna C.
I was visiting my son and his family from Michigan. I was in need of immediate repair work on my teeth. I contacted Castle Peak Dental and they were able to get me in within a couple of days. The ENTIRE staff were beyond friendly and helpful. I highly recommend them and will definitely return if needed.
- Janet S.
New Technology With a Gentle Touch
We utilize leading-edge dental technology as part of our commitment to providing an exceptional level of dentistry. These tools allow us to detect issues earlier, diagnose, and treat more dental issues faster while keeping your comfort priority one at all times. You can trust you’re getting only the latest dental technology and treatments when you visit our office.
Digital X-Rays
Our digital X-rays emit less radiation, take images faster without any need for processing, and allow us to optimize the images so we can provide a more precise diagnosis.
Digital X-Rays
Intraoral Camera
This innovative handheld camera allows us to examine your mouth in greater detail. We use this diagnostic tool to zoom in closely on specific teeth, providing a high-quality image of your teeth. The images are displayed on a screen for you and our dentist to review, giving you a better understanding of your diagnosis and treatment.
Intraoral Camera
CEREC
The CEREC system takes the normal, multi-visit traditional dental crown procedure and cuts it down. You’ll receive your permanent, natural-looking restoration faster than ever!
Cerec
iTero Digital Scanner
Our office uses digital scanners to create a highly detailed 3D model of your teeth. The resulting 3D surface model is the virtual, time-efficient, and safe alternative to traditional plaster models.
iTero Digital Scanner
Cone Beam Computed Tomography
Known as CBCT, this advanced imaging technique uses a cone-shaped X-ray beam. The cone beam rotates around your head to create a highly detailed 3D image of your mouth to help us accurately design your treatment plan.
CBCT