Our Team

The team at Aggie Animal Dental Center is comprised of highly trained and experienced animal health professionals who have a genuine love for working with pets. Our doctors include a Board-Certified Veterinary DentistTM , a Board-Certified AnesthesiologistTM and a veterinarian completing specialty training in Dentistry & Oral Surgery.  Our support staff consists of 2 Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs) and 2 client service representatives. We treat all of our patients as if they were our own pets, giving them the same loving attention and care. In addition to being a Board-Certified Veterinary DentistTM, Dr. Lommer is also a Fear-Free® Certified Professional. Watch this video to learn more about why our practice has chosen to implement Fear-Free® techniques. Please let us know if your pet has food allergies, as treats are an integral part of Fear-Free® protocols. If you have an anxious pet, visit Fear-Free Happy Homes to learn about steps you can take to reduce your pet's fear, anxiety and stress.

*Why is board certification for veterinary specialists important? The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Board of Veterinary Specialties recognizes only medical and surgical specialists that have completed board certification through their specialty organization. In North America, there is only one AVMA-recognized specialty college for veterinary dentistry in horses and pets: the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC). Board-Certified Veterinary DentistTM and Board-Certified Equine Veterinary DentistTM are titles reserved only for veterinarians who have successfully completed residency training and have passed the AVDC's certifying examinations.

Doctors and Staff

  • Dr.
    Milinda Lommer
    DVM, Dipl. AVDC; Fear-Free® Certified Professional
    Board-Certified Veterinary DentistTM

    Dr. Milinda Lommer grew up in western New York and southern New England. She graduated from Indiana University in 1991, with a B.S. in Biology, and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In 1995, she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree with Phi Zeta honors from U.C. Davis’ School of Veterinary Medicine.

    In 1996, having completed a private-practice internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Dr. Lommer returned to U.C. Davis, where she became the first veterinarian to complete the three-year residency program in Dentistry & Oral Surgery. She received the 1999 Peter Emily Outstanding Candidate Award from the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC), and became a Diplomate of the AVDC in 2000, earning the title Board-Certified Veterinary DentistTM.

    That same year, she opened Aggie Animal Dental Service, operating in affiliation with two general veterinary hospitals in San Francisco and Marin County. The practice became Aggie Animal Dental Center with the opening of our Mill Valley facility in 2013. Dr. Lommer is a member of the Editorial Board of the Veterinary Dentistry and Oromaxillofacial Surgery section of the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science. In addition, she serves as a volunteer Associate Clinical Professor at U.C. Davis, assisting with training residents in the Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service and participating in clinical research projects.

    Although Dr. Lommer graduated from UC Davis, home of the Aggies, the practice is actually named after her first cat, who joined the family when Milinda was 9 years old. Aggie was a devoted companion for over 19 years.



  • Dr.
    Alexander Hawley
    DVM, Dipl. ACVAA

    Board-Certified AnesthesiologistTM Dr. Alex Hawley earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Colorado State University in 2005. Following a year-long internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Kansas State University, he completed a three-year residency in anesthesiology at Tufts University in Massachusetts. He became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia and has been on staff at The Sams Clinic since 2009. 

    Since Aggie Animal Dental Center was opened adjacent to The Sams Clinic in 2013, we have enjoyed a collaborative relationship which has benefitted our patients.


  • Dr. Tanner May
    DVM, Fear-Free® Certified Professional
    Resident

    Dr. Tanner May grew up outside of St. Louis, Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri for his undergraduate studies and then for veterinary school, graduating with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2019.


    After graduation, Dr. May practiced at a small animal general practice with locations in Columbia and Linn Creek, Missouri. He joined the Aggie Animal Dental Center team in January 2022 as a resident pursuing specialization in dentistry and oral surgery.  

  • Renee Artigues
    Fear-Free® Certified Professional
    Veterinary Assistant

    A California native, Renee attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, graduating in 2016 with a B.S. in Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, and returned to California in 2018. After working at the San Francisco Zoo, Renee joined the staff of Aggie Animal Dental Center in January 2019 as a Client Service Representative. She became a Veterinary Assistant in January 2023 and will be attending classes to qualify to become a Registered Veterinary Technician.

  • Wendy Baten
    Fear-Free® Certified Professional
    Client Service Representative

    With extensive experience in customer service (and having been a receptionist in a medical office for humans!), Wendy is cheerful, professional, and loves to cuddle our patients. She is fluent in both English and Spanish. Wendy has been part of the team at Aggie Animal Dental Center since February 2019. 

  • Bridgit Bewley
    RVT, Fear-Free® Certified Professional
    Registered Veterinary Technician

    Born and raised in San Francisco, Bridgit has always been surrounded by animals of all shapes and sizes. After serving for 8 years as a Medic with the US Army and Army Reserve, she decided to dedicate her passion to serving animals, and began working in a veterinary emergency clinic in 2011. She has been a valued member of the Aggie family since July 2013, and became a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2019. 

  • Ophelie Birrer
    RVT, Fear-Free® Certified Professional
    Registered Veterinary Technician

    Ophelie grew up in a small farming town in rural France, where she loved being around animals of all kinds. After receiving diplomas in Animal Husbandry and Animal Care from Lycée Charles Baltet in Troyes, France, Ophelie worked as a kennel attendant at a dog breeding and training facility and volunteered with rabbits, horses, sheep and cattle in France before relocating to California in 2009. While working as a handler at Camp K9 in Corte Madera, she completed the veterinary technician course of study at Santa Rosa Junior College and began working as a veterinary technician at a small animal hospital in San Rafael in 2017. She became a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2019 and joined the team at AADC in July 2020.

  • Maria Cantu-Torres
    Client Services Representative

    Maria earned an Associate of Science degree from Heald College in Concord, CA in 2008 and has worked in customer service for over 15 years. Her love of animals led her to begin working as a CSR in the veterinary field in 2017. She joined the Aggie team in January 2023. She excels at helping clients both on the phone and in person.

  • Fear-Free® Certified

    Dr. Lommer, Dr. May and all of the supporting team members at Aggie Animal Dental Center are Fear-Free® Certified. Watch this video to learn more about why we have chosen to implement Fear-Free® techniques in our practice. If you have an anxious pet, visit Fear-Free® Happy Homes to learn about steps you can take to reduce your pet's fear, anxiety and stress.

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Aggie Animal Dental Center

Monday:

7:30 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

7:30 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

7:30 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

Closed

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed