Smiles By Dr. Ashley goes the extra mile for our environment!

Smiles by Dr. Ashley provides more than just smiles to the greater Spokane community. The aquifer pouring through all our faucets benefits from her conscientious business practices as well. Dentists have a special role in preserving our delicate water source as harmful mercury from amalgam or “silver” fillings can enter the wastewater stream and flow into the river.    

As our most recent EnviroStars certified dentist, Dr. Ulmer has been recognized as properly maintaining amalgam separators to remove mercury as well as using digital x-rays and recycling.

Having grown up in Spokane, Dr. Ulmer has a great appreciation for the aquifer and river as the lifeblood of our region. She was born in 1975, one year after Expo ’74, which was renowned as being the first ever environmentally themed world’s fair. In the hosting the event, Spokane created Riverfront Park, turning an industrial train yard into the preserved river showcase it is today. Dr. Ulmer says that in being born just a year after the event she essentially grew up with the park, visiting the river with family and hearing stories about the fair from her parents.

As Dr. Ulmer continues to enjoy Spokane, she says that her call to stewardship centers on the practicality of doing what’s right. As she puts it, “The water’s not going to clean itself.” Dr. Ulmer spent a residency in San Antonio near the Gulf of Mexico where she says, “She learned just how dirty the water can be in other cities. Even in San Antonio they have a little river walk and the water’s just filthy. And every time you go down to our river it’s just so nice. You realize this is a gem to have clean water. It’s something I feel we have a real responsibility to maintain.”

Thank you to Smiles by Dr. Ashley for doing their part to protect our environment. Interested in applying? Go to www.spokaneenvirostars.org or call Tonilee Hanson at 509-847-4337.