Crabtree Dental Team

About The Crabtrees

With both a father and a grandfather who were dentists, Dr. Ronald Crabtree is the third generation in his family to practice dentistry. He was born in Idaho, raised mostly in Maryland and served as a missionary in Scotland for two years before completing his BS degree in zoology at Brigham Young University. Dr. Crabtree earned his dental degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, moving to Houston to work as an associate doctor for three years after graduation.

Ron and Kristy Crabtree married in 1984. Kristy Crabtree was born in South Carolina but spent most of her childhood in England (her mother was English and her Air Force father had three tours of duty there). Kristy graduated with a BS in business management from Brigham Young University. She worked for Conoco Oil Company right out of college, completing their management training program. After 5 years in the oil industry she made a major career switch to dentistry.

The Crabtrees were determined to have their own dental practice rather than work for others. They opened Crabtree Dental in 1986 and succeeded despite the difficult economic climate of the time (oil hovered around $8 a barrel). The practice grew from a single treatment room and three dental professionals in 1986 to seven rooms and twelve professionals today. In twenty years of practice, Dr. Crabtree has treated over 8,000 patients, developing a reputation for gentleness in his chairside manner.

The Crabtrees’ combined mission of providing quality dental services to families in the Katy area continues to be at the top of their priorities. Dr. Crabtree has a Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry, an organization that recognizes dentists who continue their education. Mastership credentials have been awarded to fewer than 2,000 dentists nationwide since 1972, and Dr. Crabtree is one of only four Masters practicing in the Katy area.

Dr. Crabtree is avid about continuing education. He is a regular participant in courses at the Scottsdale Center for Dentistry. This Center offers advanced courses and workshops in Cosmetic and Reconstructive Dentistry.

About Our Clinical Staff . . .

Daroma L. Brown - Registered Dental Hygienist

Daroma has been managing patients' oral health as a Dental Hygienist for many years. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene from Midwestern State University in 1983. Daroma joined our practice in May of 1992 and is near to completing her second decade of delivering care through Crabtree Dental. Her longevity with our practice has given her the opportunity to develop and enjoy ongoing relationships with the many patients she sees on a regular basis. Her commitment to providing quality oral health care shows in her gentle but thorough cleanings. She works well with children, moving to their level to communicate and alleviate apprehension.

Daroma is married with two daughters. Taking care of her family occupies most of her free time along with school and church activities. Daroma enjoys camping, fishing and working in her flowerbeds.

Connie DePalma - Dental Assistant

Connie has nearly 3 decades of dental experience, over half of which have been with Dr. Crabtree. She first entered the dental field as part of a health occupations program in her high school. Connie works directly with Dr. Crabtree, chairside-assisting patients with their treatment needs. Her gentle, positive manner puts patients at ease. She is a Registered Dental Assistant certified in radiological procedures. She maintains her American Red Cross CPR certification. She is a native Texan. She graduated from Lamar High School in Rosenberg and has lived in Katy most of her adult life. She has lived in Katy for over two decades and is the mother of three grown children and two grandchildren.

Lara Colorado – Registered Dental Hygienist

Lara has been practicing hygiene for 10 years. She graduated in 1999 from the University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston. She has been a great addition to our practice since September of 2003. Lara enjoys dental hygiene because she meets a variety of people daily and loves to help others have healthier, happier smiles.

Lara is a "small town girl at heart” and is happy that she and her family live and work in the Katy Community, because “It feels like home”! Her husband, Joseph is an assistant principal at Mayde Creek Junior High. They are parents to two beautiful children.

Allonia McCoy – Registered Dental Assistant

Allonia started with Crabtree Dental after retiring from a long career performing administrative work. The life of a retiree didn’t suit this highly energetic woman and she determined to return to work in a different field. Drawing on three years experience in a dental business office early in her career, she decided to become a Registered Dental Assistant. Allonia says she likes “working with people in an environment where she feels like she is an asset”. Allonia is a native Texan – originally from Fort Worth. She has 3 children and 8 grandchildren. She enjoys working with her daughter, Daroma, who is a hygienist in our practice. Allonia's hobbies include fishing, camping, sewing, and cheering on the Astros. She is also very involved with the Second Baptist church.

About Our Administrative Staff . . .

Jennifer Aleman  – Scheduling & Records Coordinator

Jennifer has more than a decade of dental experience on both the administrative and clinical sides of dentistry. Having started with Crabtree Dental in 2007, her clinical experience and knowledge gives her added insight in her administrative role. As a registered dental assistant, Jennifer knows that good oral health care is not an accident, which is why her chief responsibility is scheduling our patients’ hygiene appointments. She is the cheerful voice over the phone confirming and scheduling your appointments to help keep you on the preventive track. Jennifer is originally from California but has spent many years in Katy. She graduated from Katy High School. She and her husband live in Katy with their four children.

Charisse Guidry – Financial Coordinator

Charisse has two decades of dental experience, fourteen in general dentistry and six in pediatric dentistry. She joined our office in 2002 and is primarily responsible for administering the insurance and billing functions of our practice. She has attended many dental continuing education courses in her 17 years, each of which have helped her develop an expertise in dental insurance. Charisse is originally from Rayne, Louisiana and has 3 children. She has a busy schedule keeping track of them between high school and college. A Katy resident, Charisse enjoys cooking, reading, and watching movies.

Lauren Crabtree Laird – Assistant to Practice Manager

Lauren has been with Crabtree Dental for as long as she can remember. As Dr. Crabtree and Kristy’s daughter, she has been working in the practice in different capacities for many years. She graduated from Brigham Young University in 2009 with a Bachelors degree in Dietetics and is pursuing a Masters degree in Public Administration at Virginia Commonwealth University. Lauren loves studying nutrition and is currently completing an internship to become a registered dietitian.

Lauren is an administrative assistant to Kristy, our Practice Manager. She fulfills her job responsibilities by tele-commuting from her Virginia home to our Texas practice location. Lauren enjoys spending time with her husband (a dental student at Virginia Commonwealth), learning to cook, decorating her new apartment, and exploring her new city, Richmond!

Stacy Risinger – Administrative Assistant to Practice Manager

Stacy is the most recent addition to our team. She is an Administrative Assistant to our Practice Manager, and will be taking on many assignments this year to implement new technologies as our practice moves in the direction of converting entirely to electronic recordkeeping.

After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M University, Stacy immediately went to work for a health and wellness center in Katy, where she spent four years in sales and marketing. Prior to joining our practice, Stacy grew up in Sugar Land and moved to Katy in 2006, where she resides with her husband and young daughter. Stacy’s favorite activities include hanging out with her family and playing with their German Shepherd at the dog park.

Stefanie Perez – Patients’ Relations Coordinator

Stefanie joined our staff in 2010. She is a certified medical office specialist and holds an associate’s degree in computer science. With over a decade of administrative and customer service experience, Stefanie conducts patient checkouts, verifies insurance, and cheerfully answers your calls throughout the day.

Stefanie is originally from Corpus Christi, TX and now calls Eagle Lake home. She enjoys spending time with her husband and three children. The whole family is active in sports, and Stefanie is an avid football and baseball fan.