Our Residents

Meet Our Orthodontic Residents At UNLV

The UNLV School of Dental Medicine is home to some of the most exceptional students, and under the guidance of our expert faculty, these residents provide top notch orthodontic care to the Las Vegas community. They work alongside the faculty, and each case is reviewed by a panel of board certified orthodontists, so the best possible treatment is decided for every smile.

Dr. Conner Belnap

Dr. Conner Belnap was born and raised in Conner

Logan, Utah. His passion and interest for orthodontics started while working in his father’s orthodontic practice when he was a teenager. He graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. During his undergraduate education, Dr. Belnap took a two-year leave to serve a church mission in Dallas, Texas. During that time, he learned how to speak Spanish fluently. He received his Doctorate in Dental Surgery from Marquette University in May 2021. He graduated with high honors and an award for outstanding restorative dentistry. He was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society. He and his wife, Samantha, have a two-year-old daughter (Emersen) and are expecting a baby boy in September 2021. Dr. Belnap enjoys spending time with family, being in the mountains, fly-fishing, golfing, and watching sports. He and his family are excited to be in Las Vegas and look forward to being part of a great community.

Dr. Kriztine Chun

Dr. Kriztine Chun was born in California but grew Kriz

up in Cebu, Philippines. She moved back to California in 2011 to pursue a B.S. in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry from the University of San Francisco. She received her Doctorate in Dental Medicine from UNLV and graduated as the valedictorian of her class with Summa Cum Laude honors. Dr. Chun was invited to be a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society and the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society. She also received the Pierre Fauchard Award as a dental student at UNLV. In her free time, she enjoys baking, watching TV shows and traveling. Dr. Chun is married to her husband, Chris, with whom she shares a doodle puppy named Tato (Potato) and a bunny named Mochi. Her favorite travel destination is Hawaii because of the amazing food and beautiful beaches, which remind her of her home in the Philippines.

Dr. Kory Grahl

Dr. Kory Grahl was born and raised in San Diego, Kory

California. He attended Western New England University in Springfield, MA where he played NCAA Division III Ice Hockey. He served as captain for his junior and senior year while graduating with honors, Summa Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a dual-minor in Chemistry and Forensic Science. He received his Doctorate in Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine in 2017. He graduated with honors, Cum Laude, and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society. After practicing for four years as a general and cosmetic dentist, he decided to pursue his passion for Orthodontics. Dr. Grahl is excited to move back to Las Vegas to complete his post-doctoral specialty training in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics at his Alma Mater, UNLV! Dr. Grahl is married to his high school sweetheart, Rachael, and together, have a beautiful daughter, Briar Rose (age 2). Outside of his passion for dentistry, Dr. Grahl enjoys time with friends and family, training and nutrition, traveling, golf, and hockey.

Dr. Hunter Hinton

Dr. Hunter Hinton was born and raised in Hunter

Prescott, Arizona and is the youngest of three boys. He grew up playing various sports but his passion was always football. He attended Arizona State University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences. He continued on to earn his Doctorate of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) from Midwestern University in Glendale Arizona. Upon graduating, he joined the residency program at University of Nevada, Las Vegas to complete his postdoctoral specialty training in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. Dr. Hinton is married to his college sweetheart, Shana, and they have one dog, named Harley. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, traveling, skiing, bike riding, and watching sports. Although he is from out of state, Dr. Hinton is excited to have Las Vegas teams to root for!

Dr. Jeremy James

Dr. Jeremy James was born and raised in the Jeremy

small town of Laie, on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii. He loves being active and in his spare time enjoys playing tennis and soccer or going to the gym with his wife and college sweetheart, Nicole. Dr. James served a two-year religious mission in Japan, which explains why ramen is his favorite food. He completed a double major at Brigham Young University in Exercise Science and Japanese and an additional degree in Biology at Utah Valley University. Dr. James graduated with magna cum laude honors from the UNLV School of Dental Medicine and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society in 2021. He is excited to be a member of the team at the UNLV Orthodontic Clinic!

Dr. Heoijin Kim

Dr. Heoijin Kim was born and raised in Heoijin South Korea until she moved to New York City when she was 11 years old. She attended Cornell University where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology, Health, and Society. She then received a Master’s degree in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University. With her passion for research and healthcare, she decided to pursue a career in the field of orthodontics after going through orthodontic treatment herself. She developed a great appreciation for the life-changing benefits ortho care provides for an individual. She turned this interest into a career by going on to earn her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the New York University College of Dentistry with highest honors and being inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Honor Society. She is delighted to bring her patient care to the locals in Las Vegas. During her free time, she enjoys walking her black toy poodle named Coco and loves baking for her friends and family.

Dr. Troy McCartney

Dr. Troy McCartney was born and raised in Troy

Voorhees, NJ, located in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Dr. McCartney is the second oldest in a family of four boys and grew up competing with his brothers in every sport you could think of. He played Division 1 soccer and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in Business from the University of Delaware. He then went on to earn his Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree at University of Pennsylvania - School of Dental Medicine. He graduated with honors in Radiology and was the recipient of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Achievement Award. Following graduation, he decided to further his education and joined the orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics residency program here at UNLV. Dr. McCartney is excited to be a member of the Las Vegas community and experience the lifestyle, weather, and many national parks the west coast has to offer. In his off time, he enjoys golfing, snowboarding, watching sports, and spending time with his family and friends.

Dr. Kaileen Rodriguez

Dr. Kaileen Rodriguez was born in Honolulu, Hawaii Kay

and moved to Temecula, California at the age of 7. She attended University of California, San Diego and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology. She then earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from University of California, San Francisco on the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program. Dr. Rodriguez commissioned as a Naval Dental Officer for 4 years. While on active duty, she served on the USS ESSEX (LHD 2) and completed multiple deployments to the Persian Gulf, South China Sea, and Pacific Ocean. Dr. Rodriguez is married to her husband, Bernard and together they have a dog named Erwin. In her free time, she loves to travel, hike, camp, and cook up meals for her family and friends.

Dr. Usama Al Abdullah

Dr. Al Abdullah was born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq, where he received his first dental degree and worked as a general dentist for three years. Then, he immigrated to the United States in 2016 and started the journey to pursue his US dental license. After working as a dental hygienist for two years, he attended the University of Pennsylvania and earned a Doctorate of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) with honors in Vulnerable Populations. Among his accomplishments, he was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honor Society, and the Mathew Cryer Honor Society, and was the recipient of the American Equilibration Award. Dr. Al Abdullah is blessed with a gorgeous, caring wife and a lovely daughter. He is passionate about soccer and is a die-hard soccer fan who will never miss a match for his team, no matter how late he has to stay up. During his free time, Dr. Al Abdullah loves to spend time with his family, play hide and seek, and dance to Disney songs with his daughter. Additionally, he enjoys traveling, working out, playing billiards, and watching TV.

Dr. Jake Boone

Dr. Jake Boone was born and raised in the small community of Ada, Oklahoma, located in the southeast part of the state. Dr. Boone is one of four boys and grew up with a passion for the outdoors and playing sports. He attended the University of Oklahoma where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, graduating with special distinction, and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society. He then went on to earn his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry, graduating with distinction. Dr. Boone is excited to continue his education here at the UNLV orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics residency program. In his free time, he loves to golf, fish, spend time outdoors, and cheer on the Oklahoma Sooners.

Dr. Corey Foulk

Dr. Corey Foulk was born in Orange, CA but raised in Reno, NV. He graduated from Brigham Young University in 2018 with a B.S. in Exercise Science and a B.A. in Spanish Studies. During his undergraduate education, Dr. Foulk took a two-year leave to serve a mission for his Church in El Paso, TX. He received his Doctorate in Dental Medicine from UNLV in 2022. Dr. Foulk got married to his wife, Chelsy, in 2015. They have one son, Coleman, and a baby girl, Mae. Most of Dr. Foulk’s free time is spent with his family but growing up next to Lake Tahoe he loved snowboarding in the winter and being in the mountains and on the lake in the summer. Currently, since being in Las Vegas, has gotten into golf and riding motorcycles out in the desert. Dr. Foulk is passionate about orthodontics and looks forward to helping the community by improving dental function and esthetics.

Dr. Zachary Hendrickson

Dr. Zachary Hendrickson was born and raised in Logan, Utah. He attended Utah State University but after one semester he took a leave of absence to serve a two-year religious mission in Chihuahua, Mexico. He still loves speaking Spanish with patients whenever he can. Upon returning to Utah, he finished his bachelor’s degree in business administration with minors in biology and chemistry and graduated Summa Cum Laude. He received his Doctorate in Dental Medicine from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry in May 2022. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honor Society. Dr. Hendrickson is excited to be part of the Las Vegas community which is much closer to family and full of activities he enjoys with his wife, Kenzi, their five-year-old daughter Oakli and their two-year-old son Lincoln. In his spare time, you can find him hiking, skiing, riding bikes and motorcycles or just enjoying time with friends and family.

Dr. Kyle Hodges

Dr. Kyle Hodges is from Hampton Roads, Virginia. After High School he first attended Southern Virginia University on a baseball scholarship. After one season he left baseball behind to serve a two-year church mission in São Paulo, Brazil, where he learned to speak Portuguese fluently. Upon returning from his mission, he attended Brigham Young University and received a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. He then continued his education and received his Doctorate in Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine in 2022. He graduated with the highest honors, Summa Cum Laude, and received The American Academy of Oral Medicine Award. Dr. Hodges is eager to pursue his specialty training in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics at UNLV. Dr. Hodges is married to his beautiful wife, Jocelyn, and together they have two wonderful children. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, sports, and anything that gets him outside with friends and family.

Dr. Dustin Hunsaker

Dr. Dustin Hunsaker was born and raised in Sandy, Utah. He graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sport Science with an emphasis in Exercise Physiology in 2013. During his undergraduate education, Dr. Hunsaker took a two-year leave to serve a church mission in the Midwest, spending time in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Minnesota. He received his Doctorate in Dental Surgery from the University of Michigan in May 2017. He served on active duty in the Navy for five years following dental school. He served one year at Parris Island, SC, two years in Okinawa, Japan and two years in Oak Harbor, WA. He and his wife have three energetic boys and a baby girl. Dr. Hunsaker enjoys spending time with family, hiking, golfing, playing pickleball, playing soccer with his boys, and water sports.

Dr. Joseph Soderberg

Dr. Joseph Soderberg was born and raised in Las Vegas. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Dr. Soderberg spent two years on a church mission in Spokane Washington. He worked in the business world briefly before realizing that orthodontics is his true calling. He graduated from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada School of Dental Medicine in 2022. Dr. Soderberg loves being from Las Vegas and enjoys the beautiful desert. He enjoys spending time outdoors and riding dirt bikes. He has indoor hobbies like music and movies when the weather is hot. He is happy to be at UNLV and excited to help patients develop their beautiful, confident smile.

Dr. Megan Zimbelman

Dr. Megan M. Zimbelman considers her roots from both Kansas City, MO and Salt Lake City, UT. She comes from a medically oriented family and at an early age aspired to be like her parents by dedicating her life to the care of others. This goal started at Gonzaga University where she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in biology and minored from her studies in the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Honors Program. Her next educational milestone was at the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated summa cum laude, interned at a FQHC and worked in an honors clinic dedicated to providing care for refugees, asylum seekers, and survivors of intimate partner violence. During her doctoral studies, Dr. Zimbelman’s philosophy became that proper positioning and alignment of teeth within the facial skeleton is key towards lifelong oral health. With a passion to come back to the west coast, she was ecstatic to match into an orthodontic residency at UNLV. While not at UNLV, you can likely find Dr. Meg outside either hiking, playing tennis, skiing or training for her next race, curled up with a good book, cheering on the Gonzaga Bulldogs or keeping in touch with family and friends.

Dr. Michelle Cui

Dr. Michelle Xuan Cui was originally born in Singapore, however she spent her childhood in Toronto, Ontario. She then immigrated to Hershey, Pennsylvania where she spent her formative years before moving to New York City. Her academic pursuits at New York University included obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, as well as completing a 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training program at a local yoga studio in NYC. She continued on to earn her Doctorate of Dental Medicine (DMD) at the University of Pennsylvania - School of Dental Medicine where she graduated summa cum laude with an honors in Nutritional Science. Among her accomplishments, she was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honor Society at UPenn. Dr. Cui developed an appreciation for orthodontics and providing specialized care for her patients and is thrilled to continue her specialty education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics at UNLV. Outside of UNLV, you will almost always find her with her rescue rottie-lab mix named Kali. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new coffee shops and restaurants, horseback riding, skiing or snowboarding, reading a good book, and spending time with friends and family.

Dr. Sara Endo
Sara Dr.Sara Endo was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on the island of Oahu. She graduated from Santa Clara University in Northern California with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. After college she spent a year at home in Hawaii working as an assistant in an orthodontic office. She then went to earn her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from Columbia University in New York City. During her free time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. Dr. Endo is looking forward to joining the UNLV Orthodontic Clinic and helping the community of Las Vegas!

Dr. Julia Esfandi

Dr. Anya Hatfield

Dr. Anya Hatfield grew up in Wichita, KS. She graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience. After spending several years working as a dental assistant in her parent’s dental practice, she decided to attend dental school. As a first-year dental student, she was a finalist for the Craniofacial Biology Group Junior Research Award. She earned her Doctorof Dental Surgery degree from the University of Colorado before moving to Las Vegas for her orthodontic residency. In her free time, Anya enjoys spending time with her husband (Ben) and daughter (Harlow), hiking, cooking, traveling, and horseback riding.

Dr. Eric Hollensbe

Dr. Eric Hollensbe was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and raised in Carmel, Indiana. He went on to study Industrial Engineering Technology at Purdue University and received his bachelor of science in 2015. Between college and dental school he worked as a pharmacy technician in Indianapolis. He went on to study dentistry at Indiana University School of Dentistry and graduated in May of 2020. After graduation he worked as a General Dentist around the state of Indiana filling in at multiple offices as a locum tenens dentist until he found his love of Orthodontics helping out at an orthodontic clinic on Saturdays in his free time. He enjoys spending time with his two cats, Miss Kitty and Leroy, as well as playing golf and watching the Boston Bruins.

Dr. Tommy Le

Dr. Tommy Le was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and moved to Las Vegas in 2005. He earned both his Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences (B.S.) and Doctorate of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) from the University of Nevada- Las Vegas while graduating with honors, Magna Cum Laude. Dr. Tommy Le was the recipient of both the American Association of Orthodontists Academic Excellence and William S. Kramer Award, and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society. Outside of the clinic, you can find him working out at the gym, singing his favorite songs at karaoke, watching his favorite shows and movies, or trying new food and drinks. Besides being a dentist, he is also a huge traveler, music lover, and car fanatic. Dr. Tommy Le has developed his passion for orthodontics after his life-changing orthodontic treatment that had brought out his positive mentality and self image, and he is more than ecstatic to provide that same positive impact to all of his patients.

Dr. Shayna Mesko

Dr.Shayna Mesko is originally from the Northeast and graduated from the University of Connecticut Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. She went on to graduate second in her class from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, MA. After obtaining her DMD she was commissioned in the United States Navy as a dentist for five years. With the Navy, she completed a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency at the Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center and Naval Station Great Lakes. She was then stationed at Marine Corps Base Quantico treating Marines, Sailors, and presidential support staff.After her military service, Dr. Mesko practiced primarily restorative dentistry in private practice in Philadelphia for three years before ultimately making the transition to specialize in orthodontics here at UNLV.Outside of dentistry, Dr. Mesko enjoys refinishing furniture and spending time with her baby boy, husband (who’s also an orthodontist!), and two Plott Hounds. Together they love walking, hiking, and exploring their new city.

Dr. Philip Punzalan

Dr. Philip Punzalan was born in Daly City, California and grew up in both Reno and Las Vegas,NV. He attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in Business Administration. He then graduated with magna cum laude honors from the UNLV School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Punzalan’s #1 passion,outside of orthodontics, is basketball. While he was born in the Bay Area, he is a die-hard Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant fan. His other hobbies and interests include working out,music, gaming, building PCs, fashion, reading, and golfing.