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Meet The Doctors
Dr. Jake Smith, DDS
Dr. Jake Smith was born in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, but grew up all over the world in Idaho, Guam, Texas, and Alaska. The son of an Air Force dentist, Dr. Smith followed in his father’s footsteps.
After graduating from Brigham Young University, he attended dental school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Here he received a United States Air Force dental school scholarship. During his time in the Air Force, Dr. Smith would complete his Advanced Education in General Dentistry and hone his skills in advanced dental procedures.
Dr. Blake Jones, DMD
Hailing from Idaho Falls, ID, Dr. Blake Jones grew up enjoying sports and the outdoors. Dr. Jones attended Brigham Young University in Idaho, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. After graduation, he attended Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine where he received a Health Services Scholarship from the United States Air Force.
During his time in the USAF, Dr. Jones was stationed in Royal Air Force Lakenheath, where he would hone his skills and meet his fellow co-founders of Royal Oak Dental Group . After being discharged from the USAF, the Jones family moved to North Carolina, and formed Royal Oak Dental Group with several other Air Force dentists.
Dr. Steven Baker, DMD
Born and raised in the City of Oaks, Dr. Baker is a North Carolina native. He graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology, and then attended the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry.
After graduating from the University of North Carolina, Dr. Baker attended the Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies. Here, Dr. Baker received hands-on training in many cosmetic procedures and techniques. Dr. Baker is one of only a few dentists in North Carolina with this level of advanced dental training from LVI, receiving his fellowship in March 2009.
Dr. Aaron Smith, DMD
Born in Seattle, WA, Dr. Aaron Smith grew up in an Air Force family and traveled frequently. He attended Brigham Young University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Following his graduation, he completed dental school at the University of Texas Health Science Center.
Dr. Smith then joined the USAF as a general dentist and completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency in Washington, DC. During his time in the Air Force, Dr. Smith served as a general dentist in Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, and Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.
Dr. Smith and his family now call the Triangle their home and enjoy spending time out in nature and serving their community.
Dr. Petteri Salo, DDS
Dr. Petteri Salo loves having the opportunity to work close to home and serving the residents of Pittsboro. After completing his dental training at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry, Dr. Salo and his wife bought a home in Pittsboro and have greatly enjoyed living in the area ever since. He originally hails from Finland but has been a resident of North Carolina for over 30 years and is committed to providing exceptional dental care for his home community.
Dr. Salo holds a variety of experiences that have shaped his practice of general dentistry today. During his undergraduate studies, he worked as a volunteer EMT responding to emergency 911 calls. After college, he was trained as a dental assistant through an internship at his family dentist’s practice. He went on to pursue a second degree in Dental Laboratory Technology and worked as a part time research assistant at UNC on a dental implants study. Dr. Salo is very passionate about all aspects of dentistry and continually expanding his knowledge of the field. While in dental school, he became actively involved in the American Student Dental Association. Through this organization, he had the privilege of serving on the North Carolina Dental Society Board of Trustees as the UNC Student Trustee, and as the UNC American Student Dental Association Chapter President. He also consistently volunteered at several outreach dental clinics to support local efforts of improving access to oral healthcare. Dr. Salo’s favorite aspect of being a dentist is being able to make a meaningful impact in his patients’ lives and being trusted to help improve their oral health.
Outside of dentistry, Dr. Salo enjoys spending time with his family and friends, going hiking, biking, and working on home improvement projects. You may see Dr. Salo around town with his wife and their three energetic, very friendly Border Collies, Ell, Willa, and Lucy. The five of them are always looking for their next outdoor adventure. Dr. Salo loves grilled food, and you can find him manning the grill in almost any weather. He also openly admits he has a sweet tooth but makes sure to brush and floss every day!
Dr. Jessica Firnhaber , DMD
Dr. Firnhaber is originally from Greenville, NC where she attended the ECU Honors College then continued to ECU School of Dental Medicine. Go Pirates! Dr. Firnhaber comes from a medical family but didn’t decide to pursue dentistry until college. She loves the combination of medicine and cosmetics that the dental field provides and appreciates the ability to help her patients achieve their optimum health.
Treating adults and children alike, Dr. Firnhaber is passionate about resolving pain as well as consistent prevention so patients have no reason to fear the dentist. Helping patients love their smile is her priority and she loves improving esthetics. Dr. Firnhaber’s favorite part of dentistry is that there are often multiple treatment options and through discussion patients are able to participate and understand their options in order to make the best decision for their health.
Outside of the office, Dr. Firnhaber enjoys spending time at the coast with her friends and family. She looks forward to the weekends to be on the boat or the beach!
