About Us

Compassionate Care for Generation After Generation

Serving Our Community for 15+ Years

Tedford Family Dentistry has proudly served the Ooltewah community since 2007. What began as a small practice with just three team members has grown into a family-owned and operated office with a dedicated team of seven. Dr. Tedford’s vision was simple: to create a dental practice where patients feel like family and receive comprehensive care for every stage of life.

Located in the heart of Ooltewah’s Cambridge Square, our practice is dedicated to serving the community we call home. From routine checkups to specialized treatments, we take pride in delivering personalized care in a welcoming, family-oriented environment. We’ve had the privilege of treating generations of families—watching children grow into parents and grandparents—and we look forward to serving your family for years to come.

Why Choose Us:

Our approach to patient care is built on trust, compassion, and a commitment to excellence.

Here’s what sets us apart:

Advanced Technology

We combine modern technology with a personalized approach to ensure comfortable, effective treatments.

Consistent, Caring Team

You’ll see the same friendly faces every time you visit, thanks to our tenured and close-knit staff.

Comprehensive Care for All Ages

From children’s first dental visits to senior dental care, we offer a wide range of services tailored to every stage of life.

Family-Centered Care

As a family-owned practice, we treat every patient like one of our own. Many of our patients have been with us for years, allowing us to form meaningful, lifelong relationships.

Locally Owned and Operated

Unlike large corporate dental offices, we’re a part of this community. Dr. Tedford and his team are passionate about supporting local families and giving back to the area we call home.

With a commitment to treating everyone with the same respect and kindness we’d show our own family, we’re here to be your trusted dental partner for life.

Meet the Team

Vanessa Zimmerman
Vanessa earned her degree in Dental Assisting from Chattanooga State Community College and has been dedicated to providing exceptional patient care ever since. She feels fortunate to work with a fun-loving and collaborative team that shares her passion for ensuring patients receive the highest quality dental care.

Outside of work, she is married to her husband, Justin, and stays busy as a proud mother of three. She enjoys cheering on Tennessee football and watching her kids excel in their sports and activities.

Shantelle Davis
Shantelle has worked for Tedford Family dentistry since 2007 as the patient care coordinator. She earned her certification in office administration from Cleveland State Community College. She enjoys working for Dr, Tedford because of his sense of humor and caring nature. She loves to travel and other outdoor activities with her husband and son.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”
– Philippians 4:13

Rachel Norman
Rachel has been a member of the Tedford Family Dentistry team since 2011, working as a Registered Dental Hygienist. Originally from Lynchburg, Tennessee, she graduated from Moore County High School and earned her license in dental hygiene from Chattanooga State in 2010.

Rachel loves living and working in Chattanooga, where she enjoys building lasting relationships with her patients. One of her favorite aspects of working at Tedford Family Dentistry is the kind-hearted and supportive coworkers who make every day enjoyable.

Emily Schreiner
Emily is a Dental Hygienist from Chattanooga, Tennessee. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Dental Hygiene from ETSU. She has done mission work in Eswatini, Africa and is eager to return. In her free time she enjoys reading, baking, and watching the Vols play football.

Ashley Petersen
Ashley received her dental assisting certification in Oregon in 2010, bringing over a decade of experience to our team. She moved to Tennessee in 2021 and has been working for Dr Tedford since 2022.

Outside of work, Ashley enjoys interests, like spending time with her friends, family and fur babies, listening to music, reading, exploring new places or trying new foods.

Kassidy
Kassidy is a Dental Hygienist at Tedford Family Dentistry. She is from Athens, Tennessee and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from Tennessee Wesleyan University. She enjoys working at Tedford Family Dentistry because of how caring, supportive, and fun everyone is. In her free time, she enjoys reading a good book, shopping, and spending time with her friends and family.

Testimonials

"Our whole family (6 of us ~ ages 4-40 something) have been seeing Dr. Tedford and his staff for almost 10 years. He is an excellent dentist, and takes great care in giving us the best possible service. He and his staff are very courteous and always make us feel comfortable. We are so grateful for them!"

Christa Henry

"Very thankful for such an amazing dentistry office. Doctor Tedford and his staff are always so kind and welcoming when we come for a visit. My entire family love going to Tedford Family Dentistry and if you are looking for a dentist this is the one you should come and check out."

Jackie Coleman

"We love Tedford Family Dentistry! Dr. Tedford and his staff are always polite and professional but with such a personal touch. Dr . Tedford has always taken great care of me and my family. He is very knowledgable and I feel like we get the best care with him."

Meleah Meadows