Meet The Staff

Carol Shimp

Dental Hygienist

Carol was born in Connecticut and raised in Florida. She married her high school sweetheart and has a son and daughter-in-law who live in Orlando. She graduated from Palm Beach School of Dental Hygiene and is registered to practice in Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas. Carol has also practiced in Germany, and in Okinawa, where she was the Public Health Dental Hygienist on the island for the Department of Defense. Perhaps her most rewarding experiences have been her multiple dental mission trips to Uganda treating patients who have never had dental care. She knew when she was in fourth grade that she wanted to go into the dental profession and it has been perfect for her! Carol loves the challenges of helping patients with dental anxieties feel comfortable in the dental environment. She has been active in local, state and national levels and is a recipient of The Esther Wilkins Award. Carol and her husband have a passion for travel and own a vineyard in Argentina.

Laura Middleton

Dental Hygienist

Laura has been a dental hygienist for over 13 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The University of Houston and received her dental hygiene degree in Kingwood, Texas. Laura enjoys providing individual, compassionate, evidence-based care and has received various awards over the years including the 2008-2009 Procter & Gamble Crest Oral-B Preventative Dentistry Award. She has twin sons and enjoys spending time with family, reading, being outdoors, riding bikes and taking walks.

Maria Nguyen

Dental Hygienist

Born and raised in Louisiana, Maria received her dental hygiene degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2013. She relocated to Houston soon after and has been working in dentistry ever since! Maria’s goal is to provide excellent, gentle patient care in a comfortable, relaxed environment. Outside of dentistry, she enjoys traveling, attending Astros and New Orleans Saints sporting events, enjoying food and happy hours around town, and spending quality time with her loved ones, especially her precious maltipoo Lexi.

Beverly Brunson

Dental Assistant

Beverly was raised in San Antonio where she was introduced to dentistry by her father. She moved to Houston in 1994 and has been a dental assistant for 30 years. Beverly taught at the Houston Dental Assistant School for six years. She enjoys music, fine dining, fishing and traveling.

Linda Kinkade

Office Manager

Linda grew up in Pearland and began her dentistry career in 1983 as a dental assistant. In 1987, she moved to the front desk and has worked as a practice administrator ever since. Linda joined West University Dentistry in 2022 as our office manager and immediately felt like family. In her free time, she enjoys reading, being with friends and spending time with her two daughters.

Cathy Lander

Scheduling Coordinator

Cathy grew up in San Antonio and has been in dentistry her entire life. Her father was a dentist and she worked for him for 17 years. She has worn many hats throughout her career, including dental assistant, receptionist and now, our scheduling coordinator. Cathy has one son and enjoys spending time with family and friends. In her free time, you can find her swimming, fishing, watching movies, decorating, traveling and finding new places to explore around Houston.