Dr. Reid Winkler was drawn to dentistry during college, finding it the perfect combination of basic science, medicine, art and patient care. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College in Maine, he moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington’s School of Dentistry. In 1998, he earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and was commissioned as a Dental Officer in the U.S. Navy. He served for six years as a general dentist in San Diego, Rota, Spain and at sea aboard the USS Denver. Recognizing his interests in further education, childhood growth and dental development and in developing longer-term relationships with patients and their families, the Navy sponsored Dr. Winkler to return the University of Washington for specialty training in Orthodontics. In 2006, he received his Orthodontic Specialty Certificate and a Masters of Science in Dentistry. He then fulfilled his military obligation, serving as the Chairman of the Department of Orthodontics at the Naval Postgraduate Dental School in Bethesda, Maryland. In 2009, after nearly 12 years of service, Dr. Winkler made the decision to separate from the military and return to Seattle to join Northcut Orthodontics.
Dr. Winkler is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and an accomplished educator. He was responsible for the Navy’s continuing education programs in orthodontics and is currently a part-time faculty member at the University of Washington, helping to educate future orthodontists. He is a past board member of the Washington Society of Orthodontists and a current member of national, state and local dental societies. He is a strong advocate of continuing education, participating in numerous study clubs. In his spare time, Dr. Winkler enjoys snowboarding, triathlons, golf, surfing and world travel.
Dr. Samuel “Sam” Finkleman is excited to have partnered with Dr. Winkler in July 2023. He is honored to continue the traditions of Northcut Orthodontics by providing compassionate, patient-centered, and evidence-based orthodontic care in Northeast Seattle. Dr. Finkleman grew up in Tacoma. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Puget Sound, where he played varsity tennis. He received both his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and orthodontic specialty training at the University of Washington. It was during orthodontic residency that Dr. Finkleman first met Dr. Winkler and Dr. Peter Shapiro, the founders of Northcut Orthodontics. In residency, Dr. Finkleman co-authored several scientific articles on a variety of clinical topics, such as openbite malocclusion. Since completing residency in 2019, Dr. Finkleman has provided orthodontic care in practices around the Puget Sound. Dr. Finkleman could not be happier with his decision to become an orthodontist. He enjoys the problem-solving aspects of the specialty, and developing long-term relationships with his patients while creating beautiful smiles.
Dr. Finkleman is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. He is a part-time faculty member at the University of Washington, educating future orthodontists alongside Dr. Winkler. Dr. Finkleman is also the president-elect of the University of Washington Orthodontic Alumni Association. He is a member of several national, state, and local dental societies. Outside of work, Dr. Finkleman enjoys tennis, golf, hiking, biking, and traveling. You can often find him paddle boarding on Lake Union or walking around North Seattle with his wife, Miriam, and their dog, Pup.
We do not think you can find a better-trained, more compassionate team to help provide your orthodontic care. Most members of our team have worked together in our practice for years.
They are highly skilled and keep abreast of the latest developments in orthodontics by attending regular continuing education courses. They look forward to sharing their passion for orthodontics with you.
You will find Andrea waiting to greet you at the front desk when you come to our office. She joined us in late 2020 to fill the shoes of our long-time office manager who recently retired. Andrea is a PNW native, working in dentistry for the past 25 years in both clinical and administrative roles. While new to orthodontics, she has quickly found that nothing is better than helping people achieve healthy, straight teeth. “I love being part of a team that strives to help people smile with confidence!” Andrea spends time out of the office with her two grown children and taking her two “fur babies” to the dog park. You might find her enjoying a coffee shop, on a nature walk, dancing to great music or watching the sunset on the beach in Edmonds.
We consider ourselves very lucky that Alicia moved to Seattle from Spokane and joined our team in 2008. After 20 years of clinical orthodontic assisting, Alicia has taken her wealth of experience and skill and made the transition to Treatment Coordinator. She is here to guide you through the new patient process and be your primary liaison and advocate during your orthodontic care. “I have always loved working in orthodontics. It is a privilege to be part of creating beautiful smiles and seeing patients of all ages become more confident because of their new smiles.” Alicia enjoys spending time with her husband, family and friends. She participates in many of the great activities that living in the Northwest brings including hiking, camping, scuba diving and beachcombing.
Paige joined the Northcut Team in 2020 to help us reopen the office following the COVID-19 outbreak. She grew up in Edmonds and brings a wealth of experience to our office having worked in orthodontics since 2013. You can easily notice what Paige loves about orthodontics, connecting with her patients and making treatment fun. Paige’s mother has always worked in the dental field, so she grew up with dentistry in her blood. Outside of work, you will find her spending time with her family and boyfriend, travelling to eastern Washington, hiking and taking her new puppy Rookie on adventures.
Joni joined our team in 2018, taking care of the cleanliness and sterilization of all of the instruments we use. Joni was raised in Seattle and has an extensive culinary background, working as a chef for more than 30 years. She was looking for a change and was drawn to our office by our amazing team and what she feels is a wonderful environment. We feel so lucky she was. Joni has two sons and two grandchildren. When not in our practice, she serves as the house director for a sorority at UW. She has a fondness for being outside, camping, spending time with her grandkids and animals.
Irene hails from Everett and made a career change to Orthodontics in 2022. We are so lucky she found her way to our practice. Irene is the oldest of four children and has a real talent for caring for others, including her two dogs and a cat. You will see how Irene enjoys developing relationships with her patients and sharing in their journey to a perfect smile. Irene spends a lot of time in the outdoors, hiking, snowboarding, off-roading and camping. She is a travel buff and enjoys attending concerts and baseball games.
Shelby is the newest addition to the Northcut Orthodontics, being recruited by her friends Paige and Irene to become part of our awesome team. She is a natural, picking up the skills to be a fantastic assistant extremely quickly. Shelby says, “Getting to witness the patients’ joy and confidence after finishing treatment is the most rewarding part of it all.” We agree! When not creating beautiful smiles, you may find Shelby hiking, camping and spending time with family and friends in the Everett area. She has one older sister, a niece and a dog named Mosby.
