Meet the Doctors Olympia, WA | Northwest Endodontic Specialists

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Meet Your Dentist

Dr. Albert Goerig Loves What He Does

Even after 40 years of practicing endodontics, Dr. Albert Goerig finds the field exciting and fun, getting easier each day. He realizes more and more the value of creating personal connections with others.

Dr. Goerig earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Utah State University and received his DDS from Case Western Reserve School of Dentistry in Cleveland, OH. He was selected for the United States Army General Practice Residency at Letterman General Hospital in San Francisco.

Dr. Goerig practiced general dentistry for five years prior to entering specialty training in endodontics at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, and Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Augusta, GA. He earned his master’s degree in 1978.

Dr. Goerig was an endodontic mentor for the Army’s General Dentistry residency program at Fort Knox, KY and Fort Ord, CA. After serving in the Army Dental Corps for 20 years, Dr. Goerig retired as a colonel in 1991. That’s when he began his private dental practice, specializing in endodontics.

In 1996, Dr. Goerig co-founded Endodontic Practice Mastery to coach endodontists on improving clinical techniques and understanding the systems of dentistry. Since then, he has personally coached over 18 percent of all endodontists and their teams in the United States and Canada. A nationally known educator and authority on endodontics, he has been asked to speak at every major national dental meeting in the country.

He is a member of numerous dental organizations: the American Dental Association, Washington State Dental Association, Thurston Mason County Dental Society (Past President), American Association of Endodontists, and Washington State Association of Endodontists. He has been a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontists since 1983.

A native of Washington, his great-grandparents came to Washington on the Oregon Trail in the 1850s. His grandfather and namesake was one of the contractors that built the state capitol building in 1923.

Dr. Goerig has been married to his wife Nancy since 1969. They live in Olympia and have five children and 11 grandchildren. He enjoys camping, fishing, snow skiing, scuba diving and good friends. He is blessed with a great family, fantastic team, wonderful patients, and incredible referring doctors.

Meet Your Dentist

Dr. David Goerig Loves Helping Patients

Dr. David Goerig is a gentle and empathetic dentist who takes the time to explain what is going on and explore treatment options with his patients. He enjoys the diagnostic detective work it takes to get to the root of a patient’s issues and having the ability to make them feel better. He finds it rewarding to relieve pain and prides himself on administering nearly painless injections.

Dr. Goerig was raised in Olympia, WA. In fact, his family has roots in the state of Washington. His great-great-grandparents came here on the Oregon Trail in the 1850s. His great-grandfather was one of the contractors that built the state capitol building in 1923.

Dr. Goerig attended Olympia High School and Western Washington University. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and Bachelor of Applied Science degree from the University of Pacific Dental School. After two years in practice, Dr. Goerig completed his Master of Science in Endodontics at the University of Minnesota in 2013.

During dental school, Dr. Goerig served as president of his class, chaired several committees, and volunteered for many outreach programs including a dental mission to Peru. He continues this tradition of service by volunteering with the Union Gospel Mission in Olympia.

Dr. Goerig is a member of the American Dental Association, Washington State Dental Association, and the Washington State Association of Endodontists. He is a board-certified Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontists and a specialist member of the Association of Endodontists. A member of the Thurston-Mason Counties Dental Society, he was the group’s president in 2019 and now serves on its board.

He is proud of how well our practice serves the area, and he feels grateful to give back to the community that has given him so much.

A father of four children, he looks forward to raising his family in the great Pacific Northwest. He enjoys camping, fishing, skiing, and introducing his children to all the fun activities this area has to offer. He is also a fan of all things science fiction and fantasy. He enjoys building Lego constructions, both on his own and with his children.

Meet Your Dentist

Dr. Michael J. Behnen Connects With His Patients

Dr. Michael J. Behnen graduated cum laude with his bachelor of science degree from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. From there, he received his doctoral degree from Indiana University School of Dentistry.

Following graduation, Dr. Behnen was selected for the U.S. Army Endodontics Residency at Fort Gordon, GA in conjunction with the Medical College of Georgia. He graduated in 2000. He served in the United States Army Dental Corps for 11 years. He was the endodontic mentor for the army’s Advanced General Dentistry residency program at Fort Lewis, WA as well as the clinic chief from 2000-2003.

Our patients love that he strives to create a strong connection with his patients and treats each one as an individual in an unhurried, focused and compassionate way. He answers their questions, addresses their concerns, and treats them with a gentle touch every step of the way.

The best part of his job is working with a fantastic team that is dedicated to providing compassionate care for our patients. Creating a positive experience for our patients is a challenge we gladly accept, and being a catalyst for improving the dental health of our patients is very rewarding.

His awards and recognitions include: National Institute of Dental Research Award, Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal (four times), National Service Defense Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Humanitarian Service Award, Air Assault Badge, Field Medical Badge, Meritorious Service Medal (two times), and Joseph R. Bernier Research Award 2000.

In addition, Dr. Behnen presented at the International Association of Dental Research Annual Meeting and has been published in the Journal of Endodontics. As a member of the active readiness Army, he was deployed as a dental officer to Somalia, Haiti, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Camp Hovey, Korea, and to Kuwait for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Washington State Dental Association, Thurston Mason County Dental Society (Past President), American Association of Endodontists, and Washington State Association of Endodontists

Dr. Behnen lives in Olympia with his wife Katherine and their cats. He enjoys travel, snow skiing, bicycling, weight training, and working in his yard.

Meet Your Dentist

Dr. Colin Kodama Enjoys Working With Precision & Care

Dr. Colin Kodama graduated cum laude from Creighton University School of Dentistry. While there, he completed a six week dental mission trip to the Dominican Republic where they provided essential dental care to a local underserved population. He went on to Rocky Mountain Regional V.A. Medical Center where he completed a general practice residency and then to Marquette University where he completed a master’s degree and certificate in endodontics.

Dr. Kodama’s favorite part of dentistry is having the opportunity to alleviate discomfort by providing specialized care that can save natural teeth. He finds it rewarding to witness the immediate relief and improved quality of life that patients experience after undergoing endodontic treatment. Additionally, he enjoys the precision of performing root canal procedures and the continuous learning and innovation involved in staying at the forefront of the field.

Patients love that Dr. Kodama takes the time to educate them about their treatment options and empower them to make informed decisions about their oral health. He strives to ease patients’ fears through a warm and gentle approach to help preserve their smile.

When not in the office, Dr. Kodama enjoys spending time with his family and staying active through soccer, hiking, and skiing.

Meet Your Dentist

Patients Love Dr. Tyler Burningham’s Gentle Approach

Dr. Tyler Burningham fell in love with dentistry after shadowing his childhood dentists. He loves working with his hands to make models and be artistic, and he loved how his childhood dentist was able to be artistic while helping patients through dentistry.

He graduated from Case Western Reserve in 2009 with a DMD degree. He then completed a two-year advanced education course in general dentistry in 2011 at Fort Hood, TX and achieved Board Certification from the American Board of General Dentistry in 2012. In 2019, he completed a two-year endodontic program at Fort Bragg, NC while also completing a masters degree in oral biology from Uniform Service University. He joined our team in 2020.

Patients love Dr. Burningham’s gentle touch. They like that he makes sure they are completely comfortable and “numb” before any dental work is done. He also makes sure that patients are heard and have a voice in their dental work. Dr. Burningham loves being able to help anyone out of dental pain. He finds it very satisfying to help a person going from extreme pain and problems chewing on one side of their mouth to normal function.

Dr. Burningham is currently active duty military and was awarded the Combat Action Badge during a deployment in Iraq. He joins us at the office 4-5 days per month.

In his free time, this Eagle Scout Award recipient enjoys hiking and camping in the beautiful pacific northwest with family. During the summer, his family is often found mountain biking and kayaking. They frequently brave the cold weather and ski in the winter.