Meet Our Team

Kristine’s impressive history and education include: US Army Veteran, a degree in Dental Hygiene and Biological Sciences.

Kristine has been in the dental industry for 25 years to include chairside assistant, dental hygienist and dental practice consultant. She has had the pleasure of serving thousands of patients and Doctors at many dental practices across the USA over her career.

As the Director of Operations, Kristine’s main goal is to encourage and maintain a positive work culture for her team at Aquila Dental while providing an exceptional experience to all patients. Afterall, work should be fun, and patients visiting Aquila should not fear their visit, but rather look forward to us helping them solve their dental issues.

From the desk of Kristine Silva:

My Home Life

I am married to my best friend from High School, and partner Tino Silva. We have four adult children and two fur babies Roscoe and Zoey. I enjoy several hobbies including reading, outdoor activities, sports, cooking and as of late I am obsessed with Pilates.

Tino and I love to try new recipes and new restaurants in and around town. To me, food is an art, science and an adventure. My husband and I enjoy traveling, binging shows on Apple TV/Netflix and watching NHL Hockey. I feel fortunate to be a part of the Aquila Dental Team as it is an exceptional group of individuals who provide outstanding care to others, always putting patients first.

Sandy Hinojosa joined Dr. Richard Higgs at the opening of Aquila Dental 18 years ago and has been an essential member of the leadership team since. She spent 16 years of her career as the Director of Operations at Aquila Dental and as of two years ago as Practice Treatment Coordinator. Sandy has over 42 years experience in the dental industry and completed a two year dental assisting program at Mesa Community College earning her associates degree.

Sandy’s Objective

Sandy’s main objective in her role as practice treatment coordinator is to provide all patients visiting Aquila Dental with a positive and personalized experience throughout their visits. Nothing makes her happier than to be a part of the dental transformation and witnessing the boosted self-confidence patients experience during the process.

She loves to meet new patients from all over the globe and they love meeting with her. She often shares her story about living in Arizona and what she loves most about living there. Sandy is originally from California but has spent the majority of her life in Arizona. She has a deep connection to the desert and the *Valley of the sun. Sandy has a gift of making employees and patients feel appreciated and cared for. Here spunky personality exuberates positivity no matter the day. When she gets to work, she is dedicated to the needs of others including Dr. Richard Higgs and Kristine Silva.

At Home

When not at the office, Sandy enjoys spending quality time with her family and traveling with them. When not working or traveling you can find her gardening. She is either planting succulents or enjoying the fruits of her labor by relaxing on one of her vintage benches. When she’s not at home, Sandy loves to stroll through the aisles of antique stores looking for special treasures. She recently went to Paris and London with her daughter and hopes to plan
another trip to Europe in the near future.

*Phoenix Arizona’s metropolitan area is known as the “Valley of the Sun” due to its location in the Salt River Valley. It lies at a mean elevation of 1,086 feet (331 m), in the northern reaches of the Sonoran Desert