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your smile doctors

Dr. Melissa Jones

Orthodontist & Smile Team Captain

Dr. Melissa Jones

Experience & Education

Churchill County High School, 1997 - Valedictorian Bachelor of Arts in History – University of Nevada, Reno, 2000 - Magna cum Laude/Valedictorian Doctorate of Dental Surgery – University of Colorado School of Dentistry, 2005 - Magna cum Laude/Valedictorian - Inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon, National Dental Honor Society Orthodontics Residency – University of Colorado, 2007 - Graduated with honors American Board of Orthodontists, Board Certified Owner and Founder of Carson City Orthodontics, since 2012

Family Life

Both the technical and artistic aspects of orthodontics give me incredible joy, but I am most happy when we are giving back to individuals and groups in our close-knit community. I founded our Smile Scholarship program in 2012, and each year six winners are selected for free treatment with braces. We sponsor the Boys and Girls Club and many local schools, athletic programs, and talented individuals each year. As a team, we look forward to learning and serving in our community several times each year when we set aside time to go discover and help other organizations that are also helping people smile and feel good. Examples of these opportunities include Austin's House, Food for Thought, LEAD with Horses, Wax Happening Candle Co, The Greenhouse Project, Keep Tahoe Blue, and more. What a wonderful community we get to be a part of!!! Beyond orthodontics, I love spreading smiles by having fun with family and friends! I met my husband, Cullen, while learning how to white water kayak during our time together at UNR. We moved back to Cullen's home town of Carson City in 2008 where we set our roots. For about five years, I commuted to work in my own home town of Fallon until we opened our office here in Carson City in 2012. We are thrilled to be living right next to the mountains and raising our son, Cavery, to enjoy the great outdoors as much as we do. If I'm not at the office, you can find me at a park reading a great book or on the trail riding my bike. If it is winter, look for me on my tele-skiis at Kirkwood and Heavenly. I also love to read my Bible, write poetry, and practice handstands. I look forward to meeting you!

Dr. Paul Cater

orthodontist & Technical expert

Dr. Paul Cater

Experience & Education

Dr. Cater has over 25 years of experience bringing beautiful smiles to his patients and is a top 1% Invisalign® provider in the US. No matter your age, dental issues or lifestyle, he is committed to finding an orthodontic solution that gets you the results you want. Dr. Cater has seen braces evolve and new orthodontic solutions – such as Invisalign® – emerge. He particularly enjoys the fact that the team at Carson City Orthodontics can help people of all ages achieve the smile and healthy bites they desire. There are so many options today regarding orthodontic solutions that even the busiest adult patients who travel can still have treatment and get fabulous results. Dr. Paul graduated from the Ivy League School, University of Pennsylvania in 1992 and has been an orthodontist ever since. His Doctor of Dental Study (DDS) was from the University of the Pacific in 1989.

Family Life

While in Philadelphia Dr. Paul met his wife and future business partner, Dr. Donna Galante, and convinced her to move to California (where he was born and raised). It wasn’t easy, but she agreed and they have been in practice together ever since! A few years ago, he convinced her to move again, this time to their favorite place to live and play- Lake Tahoe. When long-time family friend Dr. Melissa learned they were both residing nearby, she ventured to suggest they might be even happier working at Carson City Orthodontics than they were enjoying their free time at the lake. Luckily, Dr. Paul loves orthodontics and considers braces and Invisalign as fun as skiing and biking. What a gift to have him join our team! Besides changing smiles and changing lives, Dr. Paul is the proud father of two wonderful young adults and recent college graduates, Carina and Nate. He enjoys everything related to new technology, golf, skiing, travel and taking his two labs on local trails to hike and swim.

Dr. Donna Galante

orthodontist & Invisalign Expert

Dr. Donna Galante

Experience & Education

Dr. Donna Galante is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine where she received both her dental degree and her specialty certification in Orthodontics. For eight years, Dr. Donna was a clinical instructor at the University of Pennsylvania Department of Orthodontics where she was twice voted “Instructor of the Year”. She is currently a guest lecturer at Harvard University School of Dentistry where she is teaching orthodontic residents how to effectively and predictably treat patients with Invisalign®. A faculty member for Invisalign® since 2011, she has lectured both nationally and internationally to 10,000 doctors and their teams, sharing her expertise with the Invisalign® orthodontic appliances. Dr. Donna is a board-certified orthodontist in private practice for over 30 years. She is also an Ivy League guest lecturer and published author, helping educate other orthodontists about Invisalign® techniques and applications.

Family Life

Dr. Donna and her husband, fellow orthodontist Dr. Paul Cater, have owned four orthodontic specialty offices in Northern California. Outside her practice, Dr. Donna is a mother to two grown children and a best-selling author of over seven books. Her publications include: Orthodontic Biomechanics: Treatment of Complex Cases Using Clear Aligner Therapy Power Principles for Success, co-authored with Brian Tracy The Truth About Invisalign: What Parents and Patients Need to Know Healthy and Beautiful at Any Age Your Smile and Modern Orthodontics It’s All About Millimeters: How Small Changes Can Make a Big Impact in Your Business and Your Life

“Dr. Melissa and her team are the absolute BEST! We are so happy with the results. We were kept informed and supported through the entire process. ”

— Gail Bitetti

your smile doctors

Dr. Melissa Jones

Orthodontist & Smile Team Captain

Dr. Paul Cater

orthodontist & Technical expert

Dr. Donna Galante

orthodontist & Invisalign Expert

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