Meet Our Team
Meet our doctor
Dentist
Dr. Heather Rhoads Pfefferle
Dr. Heather Rhoads Pfefferle is a Leelanau County native and graduate of Traverse City West High School. Dr. Pfefferle attended Hillsdale College where she graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Music Performance (violin). Following her undergraduate studies, she earned her Doctorate of Dental Sciences from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry in 2008.
Since returning to Traverse City in 2010, Dr. Pfefferle has been providing the community with outstanding, personalized, and friendly dental care. She and her dental team give every patient the attention and focus they deserve in a comfortable and quaint setting. She particularly enjoys finding solutions for her patients who are experiencing muscle pain and headaches. Dr. Pfefferle’s patients are always impressed with her ability to make each person feel like they are important and that their needs are her first priority.
Dr. Pfefferle has logged hundreds of hours of continuing education to offer her patients the best treatments possible. In addition to numerous study clubs and learning groups, she has completed the core curriculum offered through The Pankey Institute, an advanced dental training continuum that helps dentists to grow in their technical, behavioral, and business skills. Dr. Pfefferle is grateful for the Pankey faculty and mentors who have poured into her and helped shape her thorough approach to patient care, and she hopes to one day soon be able to give back to the Institute by becoming an advisor or instructor.
When not creating beautiful smiles for her patients, Dr. Pfefferle enjoys spending time with her husband, Ryan, and their three daughters—Elsa, Ainsley, and Adele. As a family, they like to camp in the Upper Peninsula, and enjoy hiking and fishing. Dr. Pfefferle also likes to cook and spends much of the summertime gardening.
Meet our team
Registered Dental Hygienist
Ashley
Ashley graduated as a Registered Dental Hygienist in 2009 from Kalama zoo Valley Community College and began working with Dr. Pfefferle in 2013 when she moved to the Traverse City area. Her favorite aspect of being part of the Cherry Bay Dental team is that she is part of a friendly and compassionate dental family. Her biggest contributions to the practice are bettering her skills through continuing education and seeking out new dental products that can help improve her patients’ oral health.
Originally from South Haven, the Traverse City area was a natural transition for Ashley as she has always lived on or near the water. When away from the office, Ashley loves to stay active kayaking, boating, working on projects around her house, taking small road trips, and spending time with her family.
Registered Dental hygienist
Shelly
Enjoys what she does and who she works with. She stays current with the latest ideas and technologies through attendance of continuing education courses. Applies this knowledge to improve her ability to care for and educate patients.
Registered Dental Assistant
Jenni
A graduate of Northwest Michigan College's Registered Dental Assistant program, Jenni joined the Cherry Bay Dental team in the summer of 2015. Her hard work ethic and attention to detail make her a great chairside assistant to Dr. Pfefferle. She especially appreciates the intimate and family-friendly environment.
Jenni grew up in Traverse City on a small family farm raising dairy and beef cattle. In her youth, she was very active in 4H and continues to participate in the program. She spent two years in California with her husband (who served in the Marines for five years) and son before returning to the Traverse City area. In her free time, Jenni enjoys hiking, fishing, and spending time with her family and her Australian cattle dogs.
treatment care coordinator
Angie
Angie is native to the Traverse City area, growing up on her family’s dairy farm. She recently earned her associates degree from Northwestern Michigan College, an accomplishment she is proud of. Angie has always enjoyed working in the medical field; however, she has discovered a newfound love in dentistry. Watching the transformations in our patients is something she particularly likes, whether it be the excitement a patient has in a beautiful new smile, or how a patient’s initial anxiety melts away into confidence over time. She is excited to be a part of the Cherry Bay Dental family, and thoroughly enjoys getting to know our patients. Her favorite part of the day is being able to laugh with our dental team and patients.
When not in the office greeting patients, she enjoys spending time with her family. Long hikes, motorcycle rides, and flower gardens keep her busy in the summer months, while crocheting, sledding with her kids, and family fun nights pass the time in the colder season.
Finance & Administration
Ryan
Ryan and Heather married in September 2009, and he has served an invaluable role since Cherry Bay Dental's inception. Shortly after his graduation from Defiance College, Ryan enlisted in the Army where he served with the 5th Special Forces Group out of Fort Campbell, KY, and experienced three tours in Iraq. After his discharge, he earned a Master of Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management and took a number of horticulture classes from Michigan State University.
When he’s not busy helping with the financial and administrative aspects of Cherry Bay Dental, Ryan is often working diligently on the family cherry farm or taking care of their three daughters. He is also a volunteer coach for the Traverse City West Varsity Football program. He enjoys woodworking, fishing, hiking, and camping with his family.
