Meet the people who care for you at our West Adams Avenue office in Temple, near Belton. If you’re coming in with a question about your teeth or bringing a child for their first checkup, these are the faces you’ll get to know along the way.
Dr. Erin Kern
Dentist
Dr. Erin Kern grew up in Holland, Texas, and has fond memories of visiting her dentist as a child. She wants you to feel that same ease when you sit down with her. Whether you’re concerned about a tooth or there’s something you’d like to change about your smile, she takes time to hear what’s on your mind and talk through your options with you.
Dr. Kern studied microbiology at Texas A&M University and earned her dental degree with distinction in dental education at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. She has also pursued additional cosmetic dentistry training through Smile Trend Institute, with a special interest in veneers, crowns, and natural-looking smile transformations. She believes cosmetic dentistry should reflect each patient's individual features and goals, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
She enjoys caring for families in the part of Central Texas where she grew up. Outside the office, she loves spending time with her husband, Chase, and their two children
Dr. Amanda Craig
Dentist
Dr. Amanda Craig’s first job in dentistry was cleaning her family’s dental office at night as a high school freshman. By college, she was assisting chairside. What she enjoys most today is helping someone who arrives in pain or worried about a visit feel comfortable enough to ask questions and decide what comes next.
Dr. Craig earned her DDS in 2023 at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, graduating as salutatorian. In 2024, she completed a one-year general dentistry residency at the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Center in Temple. Her honors include the Student Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Dentistry Service, the McGuff Award for integrating oral and maxillofacial pathology into general dentistry, and the Academy of Dentistry International Student Service Leadership Award.
Her service has taken her to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, a refugee clinic in San Antonio, Church Under the Bridge, and Body of Christ Church in the Belton and Temple area. Originally from Forest City, Iowa, Dr. Craig still cheers for the Hawkeyes. She enjoys tackling home improvement projects with her husband and heading outdoors together
Dr. David Vu
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Patients considering oral surgery often want to know what a procedure involves and what recovery could look like. Dr. David Vu welcomes those questions. His work includes wisdom tooth removal, dental implant placement, and jaw surgery.
Dr. Vu completed his oral and maxillofacial surgery residency in 2013 and his plastic surgery residency in 2016 at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. His training gives him a particular interest in how surgery affects both function and appearance.
Dr. Rich Leung
Founder
Dr. Richard Leung founded Lakewood Dental Trails in 2017, five years after opening Temple Dental Trails. He wanted families in Temple and Belton to have a place where they could say what was on their minds, especially if a difficult dental experience had kept them away.
Today, Dr. Rich supports the teams at both practices. At Lakewood, that founding idea still shapes the visit: patients have time to ask questions, understand their choices, and decide what feels right for them
Hailey
Registered Dental Hygienist
Hailey enjoys helping people who feel self-conscious about their teeth. She likes to talk through what she sees during a cleaning and help you find a home-care routine that works for you. Her background includes a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences from Texas A&M University in 2017 and a dental hygiene degree from Wharton County Junior College in 2020. She also holds certifications in nitrous oxide monitoring and laser dentistry. Originally from Richmond, Texas, Hailey enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors with her family.
Heather
Registered Dental Hygienist
As a child, Heather loved choosing her polish flavor and leaving the dentist with a new toothbrush. Watching her mother go through nursing school drew her to health care, and those early dental visits helped her choose hygiene. Fifteen years into her career, one of her favorite things is seeing a familiar patient and hearing how things have gone since their last cleaning.
Heather earned her Associate of Applied Science at Texas State Technical College in Harlingen and holds certifications in nitrous oxide and local anesthesia. She grew up in China Spring, lives in Robinson, and joined Lakewood Dental Trails in September 2026. She and her family love to travel.
Lindsey W
Registered Dental Hygienist
Lindsey began working in dentistry in 2006. Originally from Covina, California, she studied dental assisting and child development at Citrus Community College, then earned her associate’s degree in dental hygiene at Concorde Career College in 2012. She holds certifications in laser dentistry and nitrous oxide sedation and joined Temple Dental Trails in 2020 before moving to Lakewood.
Lindsey enjoys the part of a cleaning when patients ask about something they’ve noticed at home. She likes helping them understand their oral health and take pride in their progress. Her free time often involves her family, three Labradors, a barbecue, or a walk to the lake.
Jessica
Registered Dental Hygienist
Jessica enjoys helping patients understand how the health of their teeth and gums connects to their overall health. She joined the Temple Dental Trails team in 2021 and now cares for patients at Lakewood Dental Trails. A graduate of Collin College in McKinney, she holds a certification in laser therapy and received the VA Secretary’s “I Care” Honor Award in 2014. Outside the office, Jessica loves baking cookies. She lives in her hometown of Sachse with her family and three miniature schnauzers.
Lindsey T
Registered Dental Hygienist
Lindsey started out as a dental assistant after training in Temple in 2003. She went on to earn her Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene from Temple College and has worked as a hygienist since 2007. She is also certified in nitrous oxide.
Since joining Lakewood in 2021, Lindsey has especially enjoyed caring for patients one-on-one. Seeing someone over time means she gets to hear what’s working between cleanings and help them build on that progress. A Killeen native, she spends much of her time outside work at her children’s school and sporting events.
Kacie
Registered Dental Assistant
Kacie joined Lakewood Dental Trails in September 2024 after earning her RDA credential through the Texas Academy of General Dentistry. Her favorite part of the job is seeing someone who arrived feeling anxious leave comfortable enough to smile. Originally from New Mexico, she enjoys hiking with her two dogs and spending weekends working cattle with family.
Miriam
Registered Dental Assistant
Miriam enjoys assisting with extractions and helping patients understand why caring for their teeth and gums matters. She joined Lakewood Dental Trails in May 2026 and studied at Brightwood College and El Paso Community College in El Paso. She is a registered dental assistant and holds CPR certification. Outside the office, she lifts weights, runs outdoors, and tends her plants and flowers.
Melissa
Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
Melissa brings 20 years of experience in dentistry and especially enjoys assisting during implant placement. She likes being there as patients get back into a routine of caring for their teeth and begin to enjoy their smiles again. Outside the office, Melissa loves traveling and spending time outdoors.
Jill
Registered Dental Assistant
Jill often hears some version of “I don’t like going to the dentist.” She appreciates hearing that up front because it gives her a chance to help the patient feel more at ease. Originally from Brazoria, she trained at Brazos Valley Dental Assistant School in 2009 and joined Lakewood in 2023 with 12 years of experience. She holds certifications in CPR, pit and fissure sealants, and coronal polishing. Away from work, Jill enjoys her kids’ sporting events and finds time to fish, golf, and bowl.
Astrid
Patient Coordinator
Astrid started her dental career chairside. She graduated from Georgetown Dental Assisting School in 2023, earned her RDA credential, and joined Lakewood’s front office in May 2026. She especially enjoys welcoming patients who feel hesitant about treatment. Her assisting experience helps her understand why someone might have questions even before they sit down with the dentist. Originally from Long Island, Astrid enjoys riding her motorcycle, trying new restaurants, and coming home to her Great Dane mix, Mochi, and two cats, Crouton and Princess.
Yaneth
Treatment Coordinator
Yaneth especially enjoys the conversation with a patient who has had a difficult dental experience. She likes hearing what happened and helping them feel comfortable talking through the care they’re considering now. Away from the office, there’s a good chance you’ll find Yaneth at her daughters’ softball practice or game. Her family also likes fishing and doing craft projects together.
Crystal
Treatment Coordinator
Crystal has worked in dentistry since completing the registered dental assistant program at Texas State University in 2009. She joined Lakewood Dental Trails in 2025 as a treatment coordinator. She enjoys getting to know patients over time and helping them talk through questions about their next visit. Crystal grew up in Temple, and her favorite ways to spend a day off include hiking and playing pickleball.
Kim
General Manager
Kim brings a hygienist’s perspective to her role as general manager. She cares about how patients experience the whole visit, from the conversation at the front desk to the time they spend with their care team. She particularly enjoys helping people understand how the health of their teeth and gums relates to their overall health.
Kim earned her Associate of Applied Science at Temple College in 2012 and her bachelor’s degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Community volunteering is important to her. She grew up in a military family and calls Killeen home. Off the clock, she enjoys traveling with her family and cheering from the sidelines at her daughter’s basketball games.
Love the staff, they exceed my needs and always greet you with the smile. I had some pains after a dental extraction and they didn't hesitate to get me seen the same day. I am glad that I found a dental office that actually cares about their patients and not just doing it for money. Anything I got done so far was reasonable priced without skipping on quality.
- Samera H.