Susannah Bohannon, DMD
General Dentist
When Dr. Bohannon was a child, she experienced a traumatic accident and ended up in the emergency room. It was not a great place to have dentistry performed (the ER) and it created lasting dental anxiety for her. However, it also gave her a great appreciation for what a difference it makes when a dentist takes their time and performs dentistry in a gentle and kind manner. This early dental trauma also led to her fascination with other people’s teeth and more importantly their smiles while growing up. She realized when someone felt good about their smile, they often felt more confident and engaged in life more fully. These two aspects made her want to pursue a career in dentistry where she would have an opportunity to help people learn how to help care for their teeth to prevent the need for future, more serious dental appointments as well as partner with someone to help get them back to a state of oral health where they would feel proud to smile again.
Dr. Bohannon grew up in the Pacific Northwest and graduated from high school in Lacey, Washington. She received her Bachelor of Science degree at St. Martin’s College and then moved to Philadelphia to obtain her Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree. Upon graduating, she has been proud to provide dental care for the last 15 years here in Olympia, and now also the Spanaway area. She is excited to have joined the dental team at Tranquility Dental Wellness this year as she loves the special attention they give to making sure that their patients are as comfortable as possible while they receive dental care. It aligns with her desire for patients to have the best dental patient experience at every visit.
Dentistry is a fun and exciting profession as it is an ever-changing field with constant advancements in technology and many of these changes have transformed the way dentists provide dental care. One of the ways that Dr. Bohannon distinguished herself from other general dentists was by obtaining a Fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD). Only about 6% of general dentists in the US and Canada are AGD Fellows. It is one of the most prestigious awards in dentistry and designates that the awarded dentist has achieved a clear standing of excellence within their profession. Her goal is to deliver the best dental care which starts with evaluating each patient to learn what their specific and individual needs are and then develop a plan as to how she can best help them. She takes this honor very seriously and strives to give the best care and attention to each person, not only for their long term dental health but also to have the best dental experience each and every time.
Currently, Dr. Bohannon resides on a beautiful and peaceful lake in Lacey, Washington. She shares her home with her quirky and energetic dog who is forever finding new, clever ways to escape the fenced back yard – including swimming to the neighbor’s yards – when he feels like exploring the neighborhood! She enjoys a relatively quiet life and likes to spend time at home and enjoys tackling various new DIY projects. This year, she is also enjoying learning how to play pickleball and can see why it’s the fastest growing sport in America.
To become an AGD Fellow, a dentist must:
- Complete over 500 credit hours of continuing education in dentistry.
- Earn 350 of those 500 credits in live courses.
- Pass a difficult exam covering 19 different disciplines of dentistry, equal in difficulty to board certification exams.
Heather
Dental Hygienist
Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree from the University of Detroit Mercy in Michigan.
What year did you join the current practice and/or group? I joined in 2018.
What is your favorite part about interacting with patients? I love dentistry because of the people. Building relationships, educating my patients and helping them work through their fears and anxiety are my favorite things.
Why do you like this practice and coming to work every day? I enjoy working for Tranquility because of the team and vision. I feel empowered to do what is right for each patient and provide personalized care. It is a positive environment and a work/life balance is encouraged.
Where were you born? I was born and raised in Michigan. I moved to Washington in 2008.
I started dental assisting in high school and throughout college.
What do you do outside of the office for fun or as a hobby? In my free time I like to be outside, travel, go camping, take photos, and work on our travel blog.
Pets (significant others and kids too): My husband is Corey and we have three kids, Cohen, Lennon, and Sloane. We have a dog named Bella and a cat named Theo.
Colby Cockrell, DMD
General Dentist & Managing Partner
Educational Background: After graduating from the University of Washington in 2003, I attended dental school at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, graduating in 2008.
Continuing Education Courses Attended: Implant Seminars Continuum Course – an 8 day, 88 continuing education credit intensive course with a live patient component, placing 20 implants on patients in the Dominican Republic. Ongoing Continuing Education through Spear Online Education.
What year did you join the current practice and/or group? 2010.
Why do you enjoy the dental profession? I’m able to not just solve people’s dental problems and maintain their health, but I’m also able to cultivate relationships.
What is your favorite part about interacting with patients? I’m passionate about getting to know patients beyond their dental health – their interests, hobbies and activities. Being able to see patients multiple times a year on a regular basis allows me to stay in touch with people in our community!
Why do you like this practice and coming to work every day? I believe in customized treatment plans for each patient, not the one-size-fits-all approach that you may find elsewhere.
What do you do outside of the office for fun or as a hobby? I am an avid sports fan — if you didn’t know the score of last night’s game, you’ll probably hear about it while you’re in the office (Go Huskies!). I also enjoy golfing, skiing, and taking in the occasional rock concert.
Where were you born/raised? Born and raised in Olympia and I have always called Western Washington home.
Pets and Family: Married with two sons, Cameron and Carter. We have a cat and 2 dogs.
Asma Arara, DDS
General Dentist
Educational background:
Residency in Advanced Comprehensive Program | New York University, College of Dentistry
Master Degree in Clinical Research | New York University, College of Dentistry
Bachelor of Dental Surgery (B.D.S) | Tripoli University Faculty of Dentistry
Continuing Education Courses Attended:
Certificate Training in Dentistry | Duggan’s Institute of Dentistry in Costa Mesa, CA 2021
Affiliations or organizations you belong to:
American Dental Association
Washington State Dental Associations
Libyan Dental Associations
What year did you join the current practice? 2022
Why do you enjoy the dental profession? Because I am able to provide comprehensive dental care and help people maintain and improve their oral health.
What is your favorite part about interacting with patients? My favorite part is the interaction with many different people. Each patient has a story to tell, and every procedure provides a different challenge.
Why do you like this practice and coming to work every day? Because each day I get the opportunity to provide a positive impact on the oral health and self-confidence of others; it’s extremely rewarding and enjoyable.
What do you do outside of the office for fun or as a hobby? In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I also enjoy cooking, baking, reading and traveling.
Where were you born? USA – California
Where were you raised? Libya & Netherlands
Gurveen Khatkar, DDS
Associate Dentist
Educational Background: University of Washington School of Dentistry – DDS 2020, University of Washington – Psychology BA 2016.
Continuing Education Courses Attended: I am currently working on implant training via Maxicourse AGD 2021.
What is your favorite part about interacting with patients? I enjoy getting to know patients over their lifetime and having something I can do with my hands to help. I also enjoy getting to know them and always learning something new.
Why do you like this practice and coming to work every day? I get to focus on doing good dentistry and serving patients without pushing unnecessary treatment.
What do you do outside of the office for fun or as a hobby? I like working out, dancing, and hanging out with friends.
Where were you born? Seattle, WA born and raised.
Gurveen Khatkar, DDS
Associate Dentist
Educational Background: University of Washington School of Dentistry – DDS 2020, University of Washington – Psychology BA 2016.
Continuing Education Courses Attended: I am currently working on implant training via Maxicourse AGD 2021.
What is your favorite part about interacting with patients? I enjoy getting to know patients over their lifetime and having something I can do with my hands to help. I also enjoy getting to know them and always learning something new.
Why do you like this practice and coming to work every day? I get to focus on doing good dentistry and serving patients without pushing unnecessary treatment.
What do you do outside of the office for fun or as a hobby? I like working out, dancing, and hanging out with friends.
Where were you born? Seattle, WA born and raised.
Heather
Dental Hygienist
List your educational background: Merrit College AA Science
Oregon Institute of Technology Bachelors Dental Science with a Minor in Business and
Marketing.
What year did you join the current practice and/or group?: 2024.
Why do you enjoy the dental profession?: I enjoy the dental profession because I love seeing healthy smiles. I enjoy educating and motivating patients about oral health and how it relates to total body health. It is very
rewarding watching patients get healthier and seeing the emotional effect of better health has
on individuals.
What is your favorite part about interacting with patients?: I am passionate about taking the fear out of dentistry by providing a warm safe environment and a relaxing, pain free experience. My favorite part of my day is watching the emotional transformation patients have after spending time in a relaxing safe environment.
Why do you like this practice and coming to work every day?: Tranquillity Dental Wellness is a wonderful organization and an amazing platform for dental professionals. As a provider, it is very rewarding to work in an environment where patient comfort is a number one priority. Spending the day with a like minded team with the same goal is an amazing experience.
What do you do outside of the office for fun or as a hobby?:
I enjoy the outdoors hiking and spending time with my family and pets.
Where were you born? I was born on the East Coast but lived in California for most of my
life. I lived in the Bay Area until I moved to the North West in 2004.
Family: I have a daughter and two dogs.
Shelby
Dental Hygienist
Educational Background: Associates of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene
What year did you join the current practice and/or group? 2022
Why do you enjoy the dental profession? I enjoy interacting with people and I really enjoy being able to work at my own pace being in dental hygiene.
What is your favorite part about interacting with patients? I really enjoy getting to know new people.
Why do you like this practice and coming to work every day? The whole team is willing to help whenever they’re needed which is really refreshing.
What do you do outside of the office for fun or as a hobby? I like to exercise, hike, paint, and go on small adventures with my family.
Where were you born? Georgia
Where were you raised? All over – I was an army brat.
Family: I have two kids; Camilla age 7 and Liam age 8 months as well as my boyfriend of 3 years, Cole.