Meet The Team

Sten M. Ericson, DDS (founder) - Cropped circular photo of a smiling bald man wearing a lab coat, collared shirt, and tie.

Sten M. Ericson, DDS

Since graduating from the USC School of Dentistry with academic honors, Dr. Ericson has been dedicated to furthering his knowledge and scope of practice. He completes on average six times the required amount of continuing education per year, traveling to the best courses available. Dr. Ericson has excelled at two residencies in implant surgery and multiple residencies in advanced bone grafting, gum grafting, oral surgery and surgical orthodontics. He has been involved for more than 5 years with the prestigious Kois Center in Seattle in their advanced prosthodontics program. In addition to this, he has pursued extensive training to obtain his IV sedation license and is an enthusiastic advocate of IV sedation dentistry. It is his belief that making sure his patients are relaxed and anxiety-free is a major factor that contributes to the success of many of his cases.

Prior to USC, Dr. Ericson attended UCSB and graduated with a degree in Molecular Biology. He has traveled significantly with philanthropic organizations that have established dental clinics in some of the most remote corners of Latin America. Dr. Ericson is a former Los Angeles County Fire Department Ocean Lifeguard EMT for 15 years. Continuing his involvement keeps him current with proper preparation for a variety of emergency medical procedures.

In his spare time, Dr. Ericson is a devoted long-distance paddleboarder and has competed for 20 years in numerous races on both coasts, including three times in the storied 32 mile Catalina Classic. When not paddleboarding, he is an avid surfer. Dr. Ericson and his wife Katrin have 2 boys, Jan and Sebastian. Katrin has a PhD from UCLA in Stem Cell Biology and currently works as the Executive Director of the RUNX1 Research Program (www.runx1-fpd.org). This program is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting patients with RUNX1 familial platelet disorder with predisposition to blood cancer. The mission of this program is to improve the quality of life and prevent cancer in RUNX1-FPD patients. Katrin and her team are driving towards that mission by funding world-class research, building an empowered patient community eager to partner in research, and facilitating collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem. Dr. Ericson and his wife, Katrin, strive to give back to the community who has given so much to them. The Ericson family is happy to call the beautiful Santa Barbara area home.

International Congress of Oral Implantologists

  • Awarded Fellowship in 2012

Instructor with Progressive Orthodontics
American Academy of Implant Dentistry
American Academy of Oral Systemic Health
American Dental Society of Anesthesiology
California Dental Society of Anesthesiology
American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

  • Currently in Accreditation Process (Candidate)
  • Elected Member of Professional Education Committee
  • Elected Member of the University Relations Committee
  • Prodigy Progeny Think Tank – Appointed Member

Academy of General Dentistry
American Dental Association
California Dental Association
Santa Barbara Ventura County Dental Society
Santa Barbara Rotary Board of Directors

  • Honorary Paul Harris Fellow – Pro Bono Work with Local Foster Youth
  • Board of Directors – Public Relations
Kent Tubbs, DMD (Partner) - Cropped circular photo of a smiling man wearing a lab coat and checked collared shirt.

Kent Tubbs, DMD

Partner

Dr. Tubbs grew up in Stillwater, MN and earned his Bachelor in Science from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR. After graduation, Dr. Tubbs attended the Oregon Health and Science University’s School of Dentistry where he graduated with high honors.

Dr. Tubbs and his wife Katie recently relocated to Santa Barbara to be near family with their young son Wesley. They enjoy spending time together as a family cooking, hiking, running and exploring places near and far.

Jennifer Vitez, DMD (Partner) - Cropped circular photo of a woman with brown hair against a grey background

Jennifer Vitez, DMD

Dr. Jennifer Vitez attended Boston University School of Dental Medicine, from which she graduated with honors in 2009 and has been happily seeing patients since then.

Throughout her career, Dr. Vitez has served a vast diverse population ranging from pediatric dentistry, community health, to public health and private practice. During her tenure in community health, she served as Clinical Adjunct Faculty for the Western University College of Dental Medicine training dental students on their externship rotations. There she mentored students on providing oral healthcare in a real-life setting, cooperating with a dental team, and developing continuity of care with patients.

She enjoys teaching and has contributed online education content on the Tooth Ninjas continuing education platform for dentists and dental students. Dr. Vitez has pursued additional training at the prestigious Kois center.

For recreation, Dr. Vitez enjoys crossfit, antique flea market shopping, and watching movies.

 

American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
American Dental Association
California Dental Association

Matthew Carmody, DDS - Man smiling in a suit and tie against a grey background.

Matthew Carmody, DDS

Dr. Matthew Carmody grew up in the suburbs of Seattle, WA. He completed his undergraduate degree at Washington State University before enrolling in the University of Washington School of Dentistry. After graduating dental school, Dr. Carmody began practicing at a community health center in rural, north central Washington. There he focused on advanced care in orthodontics, being the only provider in a 100-mile radius to provide medically necessary orthodontic treatment for severe malocclusions and craniofacial anomalies. He also concentrated on endodontics and general dentistry. He has furthered his education by averaging more than 150 hours per year in continuing dental education and is fluent in Spanish.

In his spare time, Dr. Carmody can be found outside surfing, kayaking, or fishing. You may also see him playing chess with the Santa Barbara Chess Club or walking the beach with his wife, Jani and their rescue dog, Bob.

Washington State Dental Association 

California Dental Association

American Dental Society

Sonia Vanmali, DMD - Woman with black hair and white lab coat smiling against a white background.

Sonia Vanmali, DMD

Dr. Sonia Vanmali was born and raised in sunny southern California. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences at the University of California, Irvine prior to attending Roseman University of Health Sciences, where she earned her DMD in the colder suburbs of Salt Lake City, Utah. Upon completing her DMD, she was happy to return to California and has been enjoying practicing here ever since.

Dr. Vanmali is a general dentist with experience ranging from pediatric dentistry, clear aligner orthodontics, cosmetic dentistry, and full mouth rehabilitations. She loves making her patients genuinely smile, and she takes pride in helping them achieve their dream smiles in any way she can, while also making them feel comfortable and at ease. 

In her free time, Dr. Vanmali enjoys watching movies, going to concerts, being near the water and in the sun, and spending time with her big family. She also loves going on adventures, such as skydiving and scuba diving!

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