Meet Your Orthodontist
Education and Experience
- Board-Certified Orthodontist: American Board of Orthodontics
- Master of Science in Oral Biology: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
- Postgraduate Orthodontic Specialty Training, Certificate in Orthodontics: Tri-Service Orthodontic Residency Program
- Advanced Education in General Dentistry: United States Air Force Academy
- Doctor of Dental Surgery: University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry
Growing up in the rural farm community of Ida, Michigan, with a father in construction and a mother who worked as a paramedic, Dr. Brent was raised with an appreciation for both hard work and changing lives through medicine. From a young age, Dr. Brent’s foremost hobbies of building model airplanes and playing the saxophone directed his focus to dentistry, a profession combining hand skills with helping people.
Further encouraging his future in dentistry, Dr. Brent honed his entrepreneurial spirit by starting a snow-removal business to help finance his undergraduate studies. His hard work and perseverance launched him into dental school at the University of Detroit Mercy. Dr. Brent excelled; and was inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honors Dental Society. He was also the sole recipient of the Maxillofacial Radiology Excellence Award.
Dr. Brent was eager to continue learning while seeing the world and was offered a position with the United States Air Force (USAF) in the Health Professions Scholarship Program. While appointed in the USAF as a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery), his professional achievements really “took-off”. Because of Dr. Brent’s appreciation for the beauty of natural and healthy teeth plus his close attention to detail, orthodontics seemed a perfect match. After six years of refining his skill set in general dentistry, he became 1 of 6 dentists across the military selected into orthodontic specialty training at TORP (Tri-Service Orthodontic Residency Program). Dr. Brent quickly accumulated extensive experience in interdisciplinary care and surgical orthodontic treatment while collaborating with Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons stationed around the world.
During his 10+ years of Active Duty service in the Air Force, Dr. Brent achieved the rank of Major while practicing dentistry and living around the world:
- 2006: Colorado Springs, CO – Completed an AEGD (Advanced Education in General Dentistry)
- 2007: Kunsan, South Korea – Led Radiology and Dental Imaging Department
- 2009: Aviano, Italy – Led computer-aided dentistry/CEREC (met his lovely wife, Ally, who was a pediatric dentist in the Air Force)
- 2011: San Antonio, TX – Trained to become an Orthodontic Specialist while earning a master’s Degree
- 2013: Misawa, Japan – Chief of Orthodontics & Flight Commander of Dental Laboratory
- 2016: Gulf Coast, MS – Primary orthodontist in a large corporate dental office (his family grew to include their son, Finn)
- 2018: Oahu, HI – Consulted for international on-line dental network while finalizing his transition and moving his family to the great state of Idaho
Dr. Brent’s professional achievements culminated with obtaining his Orthodontic Board Certification in 2014. It is a distinction that only 30% of orthodontists accomplish nationwide. Along the way, Dr. Brent and Ally traveled to many developing countries and remote parts of the world serving on short-term mission trips for those in need of dental healing.
“This has truly been one of the most humbling and rewarding parts of my career to date and we are committed to serving in this capacity well into the future.”
Although Dr. Brent met his wife in Italy, Ally was born and raised in Pearl City, Hawaii. Together they bring a melting pot of culture and experiences with them on many levels and are generous in sharing that with those around them.
If you see the Rickheims outside of the office, they will probably be making s’mores around the bonfire, hiking, boating, swimming, motorcycling, flying in the backcountry, skiing, snowboarding, camping, and enjoying nature or just about anything else this wonderful home of North Idaho has to offer. Ally also loves to cook and has recently completed culinary coursework … lucky for Brent, Finn, and their little girl, Isla.
“As you may be able to tell, we love life’s adventure and all that it has to offer. We hope we can share that enthusiasm with you.”
– Yours Truly, The Rickheims
