Your Dental Team in Hickory, NC

Brittany attended Lenoir Rhyne University where she graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s in human services and a minor in psychology. She joined Straka’s office in 2017 and the Millsaps office in 2022, and excels at being a team player and working efficiently. The part she likes best about working for Dr. Millsaps is how everyone is like family.

Brittany lives in Alexander County with her husband and three very energetic boys. Her hobbies are baking and gardening.

Houa joined our practice in October 2017 and has X-ray certification from NC Dental U. She loves meeting patients, helping them understand their dental insurance and working with a great team. She engages with patients by explaining their dental policies, answering account-related and dental treatment questions, and helping them understand recommended procedures.

Houa is married to her husband, Tou, and they have four children. In her spare time, she enjoys sewing handbags and cross-stitching. She also values spending quality time with her husband and kids.

Kayla completed an accelerated program at Lake Norman Dental Assisting School and joined our practice in October 2017. Her responsibilities include working with patients to give the best advice and explanations for treatment, insurance and making them feel comfortable. She enjoys the employees and atmosphere, how they make the work environment fun, as well as interacting and creating relationships with patients.

Kayla is married to her husband, Lucas, and they have a 6-year-old son. She enjoys hunting, fishing, being outdoors, gardening, spending time with family and being active in her church.

Aleisha graduated from Catawba Valley Community College in May 2007. She joined our team in March 2016 and recently became certified in anesthesia in June 2023. She enjoys being able to help her patients address their dental needs, improve their oral health and get through their appointments comfortably. Aleisha is married and has two daughters.

Allie started out as a dental assistant at Hickory Dentistry in June 2021, before completing her associate’s degree from Catawba Valley Community College in 2024, after which she was promoted to a dental hygienist. She loves building relationships with patients and providing the best care for their oral health. She also works hard as part of a team to provide the most efficient patient care.

Allie has a wonderful mom named Wendy and an amazing grandmother named Frances. In her free time, she enjoys bass fishing, cornhole, spending time with family and friends, and being active in her church community.

Breanna graduated cum laude from Catawba Valley Community College in 2022 before joining our team in July of the same year. Her responsibilities include identifying dental issues, educating patients about oral health and enhancing her patients’ overall experience, especially those with dental anxiety. Breanna loves how everyone gets along so well and works together to ensure everything flows smoothly.

Breanna is happily married to her best friend, Darrien. They have one wild little girl and German shepherd-mixed fur baby named Yogi. Breanna’s hobbies include hanging out with friends and family, and experiencing new things and adventures.

Carmela earned her associates degree from Catawba Valley Community College where she graduated with honors in 2004. For the majority of her career, she was a member of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and the Dental Hygiene Academy of Advanced Studies. She has had the privilege of serving our patient community for almost 20 years. While she transitioned to part-time in 2025, Carmela continues to bring consistency, clinical excellence and genuine care to every patient she sees. She loves what she does and is proud to be part of the reason patients feel seen, known and well cared for. Carmela is grateful to be part of a team that genuinely values excellence in both patient care and how we support each other. It is encouraging to work in an environment where people look out for their patients and their colleagues, and where the culture continues to grow in a positive direction.

Carmela has been married for 30 years to her best friend. They share their home with their beloved dog, Magnolia Lyn, and their mischievous cat, Frank von Trouble. Carmela enjoys hiking, wine tasting and reading. She is active in both her church and community, and has volunteered as a financial mentor with Safe Harbor since 2020. In 2021, she launched a financial coaching practice to help individuals and families gain clarity and confidence in their financial decisions. She is passionate about empowering others and is committed to showing up with integrity, empathy and deep respect for those she services. Carmela believes every interaction is an opportunity to make someone feel seen, supported and valued.

Courtney graduated from CVCC in 2011. She joined our team in 2022 and strives to offer comfortable and personalized dental hygiene for each patient while instilling the importance of our mutual investment in their oral future. She appreciates the teamwork that is exemplified and the confidence that we have in the treatment we provide as a team to our patients, and how we offer our best care possible.

Courtney is married to her husband, Justin, and they have two children. She enjoys family time, serving in her church and needlecraft.

Gina has been in the dental field since 1985. She received her associate’s degree from CVCC in 2001 and joined our team in June 2014. She contributes to the practice through creating strong patient relationships, her love for her profession, her positive attitude and her respect for her teammates. She enjoys patient interaction, specifically making a positive impact on her patients through education and helping them improve their oral health.

Gina enjoys kayaking and camping, and is a veteran of the United States Air Force.

McKenzie’s college career started at Lenoir Rhyne University before she completed her dental hygiene program at Catawba Valley Community College. She became a part of our team in 2018 where she contributes to the prevention side of dentistry. While some of us hygienists like to think of ourselves as “tooth fairies”, McKenzie believes she plays a larger role in saving smiles than some may think. Her goal is to improve her patients’ oral health while giving them a peaceful, pleasant dental experience. She also appreciates how working with staff that feels like family.

McKenzie is married to a paramedic; while he saves lives, she saves smiles. Around the office, many patients know her as “the blonde girl with the dog on her TV”. She is a proud dog mom to a spoiled, happy pup named Hank. In her free time, McKenzie plays acoustic guitar and sings in a band as well as solo.

Molly graduated from the dental hygiene program with her associate’s degree from Asheville, Buncombe Technical Community College in 2002. She joined our team in January 2023. Working at Hickory Dentistry allows her to be part of a group that values the needs and wants of the patients. Our doctors provide exceptional treatment and our team works well together to give our patients the best experience possible in a dental office. She enjoys seeing our patients smile with confidence. As a hygienist, Molly is fortunate to be in a position where she can contribute to the overall health of our patients. It is important to her that our patients get to keep all their teeth for the rest of their lives. She firmly believes that having healthy dentition greatly improves quality of life.

Molly has been married to her husband, Corey, since 2002 and they have two wonderful kids. She enjoys spending time with her family at home where they have a garden, horses, cows and two dogs.

Alicia joined our practice in 2022 where she was privately trained on the job. She also received her dental radiography degree at Rowan Cabarrus Community College. Her job is to anticipate our dentist’s needs and keep procedures running efficiently. She values the opportunity to connect with each patient and help them feel comfortable coming to the dentist. Alicia understands that visiting the dentist isn’t most people’s favorite experience, so she strives to create a safe and welcoming environment where patients feel heard and understood. Her goal is to always provide the highest quality dental care while ensuring that every patient feels supported and respected throughout their visit.

Alicia is a proud dog mom to her lovable black lab, Oreo. Outside of work, she enjoys travelling and spending quality time with her family. These experiences help Alicia stay grounding and bring balance to her life, which she believes ultimately enhances the care and attention she provides to her patients.

Holly completed the dental assisting program at Accelerated Denal Assisting Academy while still in high school. She joined our team in August 2023 and loves helping fix people’s smiles while bonding with the patients. She also thinks the employees are exceptional and appreciates the good work environment. She is very personable with patients and always has a positive demeanor when communicating with patients and staff. She is always proactively seeking solutions to challenges and participating in the practice’s culture by understanding our goals and trying to find opportunities for growth.

In her free time, Holly likes to play pickleball, travel, binge-watch the Harry Potter movies and go for walks and hikes with her dog.

Leanna graduated from Catawba Valley Community College with her Associates in Arts degree in 2019, and from NC Dental U in 2021. She joined our team in April 2024, and enjoys being part of a practice where everyone feels like family and where she has the opportunity to learn new skills. In addition to being a dental assistant, Leanna is a phlebotomist and helps with performing PRP procedures on patients to give them a smoother healing process.

Leanna and her husband, Austin, have two children. Outside of the office, she enjoys baking, walking and reading.

Lillie went to CVC College where she received her associate’s degree in arts and took a six-month dental assisting course. She became a part of our team in July 2023. She loves working with patients and meeting new people, as well as working with an amazing team. Her job is to make sure the patients feel comfortable while having dental work done as well as having a positive attitude every day.

Lillie is actually a triplet with one brother and sister, and has the best parents in the world who have given her the strength, courage, love and support that she needs. In her free time, Lillie likes to play pickleball, softball and volleyball. She also likes going to the lake or the beach, taking her dog, Sadie, for walks and spending time with family and friends.

Peyton graduated from the Lake Norman Dental Assisting School and joined our team in 2022. She shows up each day with a smile and enjoys taking care of our patients, building trusting relationships and providing quality care to help them achieve healthier smiles.

When not in the office, Peyton enjoys taking her dog, Gigi, on walks, hanging out with friends and spending time on the lake.