Meet Our Staff

The Amazing and Caring Team At CopperMine Dental Studio

Doctors

Dr. Justin Dutton

Presently, Dr. Dutton and the dental team at CopperMine Dental Studio at Rancho Sahuarita, focus their clinical time on tooth restoration and replacement, with an emphasis on implant dentistry and full mouth rehabilitation. They also enjoy helping patients with improving their smiles with Invisalign and cosmetic dentistry.

Dr. Dutton is a member of the ADA, AZDA, Academy of General Dentistry, and the Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He has also had training and is an Invisalign Provider. In his spare time, Dr. Dutton likes to stay active. His activities included spending time with his very athletic dog, Sonny, as well as playing golf. Being from Philly, he enjoys following the Philadelphia sports teams, as well as being a Formula 1, PGA, and world football (soccer) fan. Dr. Dutton also enjoys DIY projects around the house and dabbles with cryptocurrency investments.

Dr. Michael Neish

Dr. Michael Neish first came to Tucson as a student at the University of Arizona, where he graduated cum laude with a degree in Chemistry.

Following the completion of his undergraduate degree, Dr. Neish enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he served with the 1st Battalion 7th Marines Infantry. Dr. Neish completed two combat deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After honorably serving his country, Dr. Neish attended Rutgers School of Dental Medicine in Newark, New Jersey.

Upon graduation from Rutgers Dental School, Dr. Neish returned home to sunny Arizona. Dr. Neish has experience in an array of surgical and restorative procedures. His goal is not just to fix people’s teeth, but to get their mouth healthy.

When not practicing dentistry, Dr. Neish spends his time with wife of 13 years (also a proud Arizona Wildcat !), Maureen, and their 3 dogs.

Leadership Team

Perla Muñoz has been working in dentistry since 2006. She was Dr. Dutton’s first Dental Assistant when he opened CopperMine Dental Studio in Sahuarita in 2008. Through her hard work ethic, determination, desire to learn and always improve, Perla moved into management in 2017. Perla loves creating patient relationships. She loves dentistry and how we are able to impact our patient’s lives by managing their oral health and improving the appearance of their smile. When Perla is not managing the many different aspects of CopperMine Dental Studio, you can find her at CrossFit, spending time with her family, or having a good laugh while taking a shot of Tequila.

Dazia Brown is the Office Manager at the CopperMine Dental Studio Madera office. She has 14 years of dental experience with the last 3 years being with CopperMine Dental. She loves being able to help our patients understand their insurance benefits and how to maximize them. It’s very gratifying for her to watch our team transform patients’ smiles into a Happy. Healthy. Smile. In her free time, Dazia loves spending time with her husband and daughter. She has found a new love for plants. She enjoys caring for them and watching them bloom and thrive. Dazia also loves chocolate, anything chocolate!

Hygienist

An Ly grew up in Seattle, Washington. Go Hawks!! He moved to Arizona in 2005 and graduated from dental hygiene school in 2011. He has been working at Coppermine Dental Studio since 2012. What An likes most about dentistry is being able to provide optimal care to a wide range of patient demographics, anywhere from pediatric to geriatric patients. He enjoys building relationships with his patients. Outside of work, An enjoys cooking, spending time with his wife, walking his dog Sophie, and playing tennis, pickleball, and golf.

Amy Lyden graduated from Dental Hygiene School in Denver, Colorado in 2004. She joined the CopperMine Dental Studio Team in 2019 when she moved to Sahuarita. She loves trying to help patients feel comfortable being at the dental office. She enjoys working with patients to improve their oral health. Aside from being a Dental Hygienist, Amy also works as our Marketing Assistant. Amy stays busy outside of the office volunteering in the community and at her kids’ schools. She and her husband love cheering on their 3 boys at their various sporting events and activities.

Kim Deel has been a Dental Hygienist for since 2004. For the last 14 years she has worked at the Madera office. She worked with Dr. Sokal before we established CopperMine Dental Studio at that location. Kim takes pride in her work and in helping her patients improve their oral hygiene for overall better health and confidence. She enjoys catching up with her patients at each visit. Her patients are not just patients, they are like family. Kim enjoys hiking Tumamoc Hill and spending time with her family.

Alexandra Errico was born and raised in Tucson, AZ. She graduated from the Pima Community College Dental Hygiene program in 2008. She enjoys putting her patients at ease and ensuring a positive dental experience. Alexandra likes to stay current with continuing education to educate her patients on their dental health. She resides in Sahuarita with her husband, two kids and their dog. She enjoys cooking and spending family time outdoors.

Admin Team

Peggy Najar has worked in the dental field for 27 years with 7 of those years being with CopperMine Dental Studio. She worked the Front Office at the Madera Office location with Dr. Sokal and came on board with CopperMine Dental as the Patient Hygiene Coordinator when we acquired that practice at his retirement. Peggy says, “she loves the people she works with and our patients.” If you know Peggy, you know this is true. She also loves to spend time with her husband, Jack, and their dog, Bella. Peggy enjoys reading, taking care of her garden, and LOVES going to NASCAR every year.

Sandy Verdugo manages our Accounts Receivable Department. She has worked in the dental field since 2001. She has dual Associate degrees in Accounting and Business Management. Even though Sandy is generally a homebody, in her free time, she enjoys spending time with her 2 kids and traveling.

Craig Dutton has been with Coppermine Dental Studio for 8 years. He leads our Accounts Payable department, but also works with Bookkeeping, IT, and Maintenance. He is certified in QuickBooks and has a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Industrial Organization from the University of Arizona. Craig enjoys working with numbers and computers. He also enjoys having the opportunity to help run the family business. In his spare time, Craig loves cheering on the Arsenal Football Club, the Philadelphia Phillies, Flyers, Eagles, Union, and Sixers. He likes to read, spend time with his girlfriend and two dogs, work on cars, build computers, and develop his vinyl record collection.

Karla Hernandez is the Treatment Coordinator at our Rancho Sahuarita office. She joined CopperMine Dental Studio in June 2019 and has loved being part of a wonderful team. She has an Associate Degree in Business Management and enjoys building relationships with our patients. Karla is inspired daily by her husband and three daughters. When she isn’t at our office, you’ll most likely find her spending time with her family and her pug, Maui.

Shelsea Montoya joined the Administrative Team at Rancho in 2022 as the Hygiene Coordinator. She is new to the dental field, but has picked things up very quickly. Her calm demeanor helps patients feel at ease as she greets them in to the office or talks to them on the phone. Outside of work, Shelsea is an avid Crossfit trainee and trainer. A fun fact: Dr. Dutton did Shelsea’s braces several years ago. What a beautiful smile she has!

Jacque Suarez has been in the dental field since 2019. She joined CopperMine Dental Studio in the Spring of 2023, working with our Admin Team as an Insurance Coordinator. She is a Tucson native and has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona. She loves educating patients about anything in the dental world. Jacque hopes to become a dentist in the future, to help restore smiles! In her spare time, she loves baking anything sweet, spending time with her 3 dogs, and traveling with her fiancé, most likely to Disneyland.

Crystal Davison was born and raised in Tucson. She moved to Missouri in her 20’s to attend Ozark Technical Community College where she graduated in 2015 with an Associate’s degree in Clinical Biological Science and Dental Assisting. While attending her program, she was blessed to attend a dental Mission trip to Nicaragua. It was at that time Crystal learned that the dental field will always be her passion. She was recently married in 2022 and is now expecting her first child to join her 3 dogs at home. In her free time, you can find Crystal doing anything DIY and hiking.

Dental Assistants

Kelly Ashley is a Tucson native, born and raised. She graduated in 2010 from Pima Medical Institute where she completed the Dental Assistant Program. She joined the Coppermine Dental Studio team as a Certified Dental Assistant in 2014. Kelly is X-ray and Coronal Polish certified. She loves the challenges and the excitement that come with working in the dental field. When Kelly is not working, she loves to find new baking recipes to try, participate in outdoors activities, and take her boys out for a movie.

Sandra Mullis is a Certified Dental Assistant and has been working at Coppermine Dental Studio for 3 1/2 years. She is X-ray and Coronal Polish certified. What she likes most about her job is seeing our patient’s smile and being able to work with such awesome people. Some of Sandra’s favorite things are spending time with her family and her 2 dogs, baking, traveling, camping, and going to the mountains. Her favorite foods include anything Italian, but especially desserts like tiramisu.

Cristina Alcaraz has been a Dental Assistant since 2014. She completed Dental Assisting school in Odessa, Texas then decided she missed Arizona and moved back to her home state. She has been with CopperMine Dental Studio since November 2019. She is a Certified Dental Assistant and is Coronal Polish certified. Her favorite part about working in dentistry is that she can be part of helping people achieve their dream smiles. When Cristina is not in the office, she loves going to Baseball games with her baseball loving family. Cristina also enjoys traveling with her family or taking road trips with friends.

Alyssa Gallego joined the CopperMine Dental Team as a Dental Assistant in April 2022. She has 4 years of Dental Assistant experience. She enjoys working with patients and assisting the Doctor. She really likes the CopperMine Dental team. When not working, Alyssa likes to spend time with her husband and chihuahua, Fifi.

Yamilette Valenzuela has been a Dental Assistant since 2018. She joined the CopperMine Dental Studio Team in August of 2022. What Yami likes most about dentistry is when she gets to help take part in full smile restorations. She loves how it helps build a patient’s confidence one step at a time. When she’s not at work, Yami likes spending time with her husband and two little boys, working out at the gym, and traveling. She recently started cooking more and enjoys trying new foods.

Glori Leon completed her Dental Assisting Externship with CopperMine Dental in 2023 and joined the team upon graduation. She became a dental assistant because she wanted to help people learn more about their oral health and how important it is. She really likes working at CopperMine Dental because the Team is so helpful and cheerful. When Glori is not at work, she likes to jog and workout, spend time with her family, and go shopping.

Luci Carreon completed her Dental Assisting Externship with CopperMine Dental in 2023 and joined the team upon graduation. She chose a career in dentistry because she knew she wanted to work in healthcare and help people feel happy and confident about their smile. She enjoys working at CopperMine Dental because everyone is hardworking and knowledgeable. When Luci is not at work, she likes to hike, travel, try new restaurants, and spend time with her friends and family.