Dr. Jernell Escobar
Dr. Escobar attended dental school at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry. During her time there, her dedication to the profession of dentistry was clearly demonstrated by her clinical and classroom performance.
Born and raised in Southern California, Dr. Jernell Escobar became interested in healthcare while serving her country as a Public Health technician for the United States Air Force. After seven years of military service, Dr. Escobar was honorably discharged from the Air Force having garnered multiple awards and service commendations. Upon completion of her service, Dr. Escobar focused her attention on completing her undergraduate degree at San Jose State University. She graduated, with honors, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. In addition, while completing her undergraduate education, Dr. Escobar was involved in genetics research at Stanford University.
She was awarded the Fixed Prosthodontics Award for outstanding performance, the Norma T. and Robert G. Grosso Award for interest and promise as a dental educator and the Quintessence Award for outstanding performance in clinical restorative dentistry. In addition, she was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon and Tau Kappa Omega dental honor societies for scholastic excellence. Dr. Escobar earned the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2006.
After completion of dental school, Dr. Escobar continued her education at the University of the Pacific School of Education and earned a Master of Arts in Dental Education in 2009. She was also invited to join the dental school faculty as an instructor for Preclinical Restorative Dentistry.
Dr. Escobar has been practicing dentistry in the bay area since 2006. She is passionate about providing exceptional oral health care in a patient centered environment. In addition, Dr. Escobar enjoys spending time with her two children. Some of her favorite activities include travel, boating, running marathons, triathlons, wakeboarding and yoga.
Samantha Tripp
Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
“My favorite thing about my job is the variety it brings. No day is ever the same”
Samantha Tripp has been an RDA for six years, and has been working alongside Dr. Escobar since 2013.
Born and raised in Gilroy, Samantha is a friendly face to many of our local patients. On her off time she loves traveling and going on hikes.
“My favorite thing about my job is the variety it brings,” she said. “No day is ever the same.”
Christine Drysdale
Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)
“I enjoy educating my patients on ways to improve their smile,” says Christine. “Dentistry is changing in many ways and I am so excited to be a part of it.”
Christine Drysdale has served the South County community as a Registered Dental Hygienist for the past three decades. She has worked alongside Dr. Jernell Escobar since she established her practice in Gilroy and is grateful to be part of such a professional and caring dental office team. Christine completed her clinical training at Cabrillo College, Aptos in 1988. She demonstrates commitment to offering her patients the very best in dental care by staying up-to-date on new procedures, techniques, and products. Christine, a native Gilroyian, has been happily married to her high-school sweetheart since 1990 and is the mother of two adult sons. She enjoys spending time with her family, boating, snowboarding, camping, traveling and attending sporting events.
“As a Dental Hygienist, I love helping my patients have a clean, beautiful smile but more importantly, my main goal is to educate them on the importance of good oral health. “We now know that poor oral health can contribute to cardiovascular disease, pregnancy complications, and other serious health concerns. My top priority is to have my patients keep their natural teeth healthy for as long as possible. I care deeply for my patients and building a close relationship with them makes my job very rewarding.”
Paula McDermott
Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)
She says that working with her fellow employees feels like family. One of her favorite part of the job is working with her patients, helping them and making them feel great about their smile.
Registered Dental Hygienist Paula McDermott has been dedicated to the practice for 25+ years. Raised in Gilroy, she takes pride in serving her community by improving their Oral Health. Paula’s favorite aspect of her job is connecting with her patients while enhancing their smiles. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her family, gardening, baking Italian desserts, and reading for her book club.
Cindy Fellows
Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
Cindy has been a member of Dr. Escobar’s team since September 2021, but she is not new to the dental field. Her favorite part of her job is “getting to share my day with such wonderful patients.” In her time off she likes to travel and spend time with her family and friends. Cindy also enjoys wine tasting and is on the board of directors for the Gilroy Garlic Festival.
Elena Widergren
Registered Dental Assistant
Elena Widergren is a Registered Dental Assistant who has been in the business for 21 years and worked at Jernell Escobar DDS for 9 years. She is married with two sons and loves to travel — when she can. She loves everything about her job, but especially interacting and helping the patients. She derives great satisfaction from helping people as part of her job.
Christina Garcia
Dental assistant
Christina joined Dr. Escobar’s team as a dental assistant in late 2021. Her favorite thing about her job? “We are all hardworking, fun ladies who work together to get the job done for the patients, and for us as well!” In her free time Christina enjoys being with her husband and kids at softball games and church services.