Leo Kharin DMD, FAGD

Dr. Kharin was born in Moscow, Russia and moved to the United States in 2000. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2006, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in psychology. Dr. Kharin earned his D.M.D. from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 2010. He completed his Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency in 2011. The site for his residency was Winslow Indian Health Care Center in Winslow, Arizona, which was a formative experience clinically, personally and culturally. Dr. Kharin joined Dentistry by Design in 2015 and is proud to be an integral part of such an amazing team.

In 2021 Dr. Kharin attained a Fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry, joining the elite group of dentists, dedicated to clinical excellence through continuing education to stay at the forefront of the profession.

Dr. Kharin has a true passion for dentistry. His background in behavioral sciences aids him in deeply connecting with his patients and tailoring his treatment to their unique needs. He traveled the country taking numerous continuing education courses focusing on implant placement and restoration, dental and facial esthetics and his main passion – complex restorative procedures, including full mouth rehabilitation. He is an active member of American Dental Association, Massachusetts Dental Society and Academy of General Dentistry. He has a prior affiliation with Spear Education and Phelan Occlusion Seminars. Dr. Kharin lives in Concord, MA with his wife and son. He spends his spare time swimming, gardening and hiking the mountains of Maine and New Hampshire. He is a student of photography, arts and world history. Dr. Kharin is also a published novelist, writing under the alias L.Y. Kharin.

Dr. Kharin is proudly serving his country as an officer in the U.S Army Reserve.

Taylor Van Houten, DMD

Dr. Taylor Van Houten was born and raised in New Jersey. In 2016 she graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After graduation, she chose to attend Tufts University because they offered a dynamic curriculum that combined traditional thought and the newest technologies. While there, she served as the student representative for the Admissions Committee and Outcomes Assessment Committee. She was appointed as the liaison for the New England Center and Home for Veterans through the American Student Dental Association for three years. Taylor enjoyed volunteering to help the veterans in any way she could from serving them food to dental education.

After graduating from Tufts Magna Cum Laude in 2020, Taylor then completed the Harvard General Practice Residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. During the program, she was able to work at several Harvard-affiliated institutions where she gained advanced experience in clinical and emergency dentistry. She quickly became knowledgeable working with medically compromised patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Dr. Van Houten enjoys getting to know her patients and being able to treat them with comprehensive, personalized care. Her goal is to create a comfortable environment that makes her patients feel at ease. She appreciates the field of cariology and strives to educate her patients to help prevent future dental disease.

Taylor lives in Boston, MA with her fiancé, Andrew, and two dogs, Moose and Duncan. In her free time, she enjoys going on hikes, practicing yoga, and reading.

Anissa – Registered Dental Hygienist

Anissa has been an integral part of our team at Dentistry By Design since 2002. She obtained her degree in Dental Hygiene from the University of Louisville and has advanced training in laser implementation, Invisalign treatment, and CPR. She has taken continuing education courses through the Las Vegas Institute, as well as the Schuster Center for Team Development in Arizona. She plans to continue her education by obtaining her local anesthesia certificate, and becoming a registered community health hygienist. During her time away from the office, Anissa loves spending time outside with her family hiking, camping, kayaking and going to the beach.