Joel Manalese, DDS
SCHOOL: New York University School of Dentistry

UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES: California State University, Long Beach

INTEREST: Rubik’s Cubes, Tennis, and Basketball

PERSONAL QUOTE: “I value the relationships I have with my patients and commit to the highest standard of care and professionalism. I strive to make my patients happy with their smiles while providing unequivocal excellence in all aspects of dentistry. At Regal Dentistry, we are committed to excellence.”

PERSONAL BIO: When not busy practicing dentistry, he enjoys spending time with his wife and children, attending local sporting events, playing tennis, basketball, and teaching other people how to solve the Rubik’s cube. He is also an active participant in his community.

Dr. Manalese began his studies locally and received his Bachelor of Science from California State University of Long Beach in biology with a minor in chemistry. After graduating from NYU, Dr. Manalese completed a one-year general practice residency at Woodhull Medical Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, where he was awarded the Top Dental Resident of the year award. Dr. Manalese has dedicated his professional career to providing his patients with the best dentistry has to offer. He achieves this by participating in advanced training and continuing education in such specialties as Invisalign® and Lumineers®. Using advances in dental technology, including digital x-rays, intraoral pictures, root canal therapy, and teeth whitening, he will help you achieve a beautiful healthy smile for life. Dr. Manalese gives each patient personalized care and will help you make informed choices about your dental health.

PATIENT IMPACT: “During my residency in New York, I provided a patient with implant overdentures to stabilize her loose dentures. Two weeks later, she returned ecstatic to share her testimonial with our staff. She was extremely happy with the results and was in tears. She never thought in all her life she would be able to eat any of her favorite foods, like steak or corn-on-the-cob. Every time she returned for dental checkups, she thanked me for how much I improved her quality of life. She is now able to eat all of her favorite foods.”

Christine Saed, DDS
Dr. Christine Saed received her B.S in biology from the University of California, Riverside. She also graduated from New York University College of Dentistry, where she received her D.D.S degree. Dr. Saed strives to provide high-quality dental care to her patients each day by gaining an understanding of each patient’s specific needs. She was born and raised in Southern California and is happy to be back in her hometown, serving the community she grew up in. Outside of dentistry, Dr. Saed loves being in the sun, doing everything from weekend hikes to spending the day at the beach.

Collin Tsai, DDS, MS
Dr. Tsai began his formal dental education at the University of California School of Dentistry in Los Angeles and graduated with a Doctorate of Dental Surgery. In order to specialize in the field of orthodontics, Dr. Tsai continued on to Saint Louis University for a Master of Science in orthodontics.

Continuing education is an important part of Dr. Tsai’s commitment to his patients. Dr. Tsai regularly participates in continuing education as a way to provide the most up-to-date treatment options and highest quality care.

Originally from San Francisco, Dr. Tsai currently resides in Rancho Cucamonga with his family. He cherishes the time spent with his family and friends, and also enjoys sports, exercise, and movies.

Haris Lakisic, DMD
Entering the field of dentistry was a natural choice for Dr. Lakisic; his father and brother were both dentists, and introduced him to this profession of helping others. He enjoys being able to help relieve people’s pain and discomfort, as well as improve their health and esthetics.

Dr. Haris Lakisic grew up in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but became a refugee and escaped to Southern California at the age of 15 due to war in his homeland. After finishing high school in Costa Mesa, Dr. Lakisic attended Pepperdine University for his Bachelor’s degree, then received a scholarship to attend the University of Pennsylvania for his D.M.D. degree. During his four years of dental school, he was consistently ranked in the top 10 of his class. He is an active member of the American Association of Endodontists.

Dr. Lakisic’s hobbies include travel, fishing and outdoor activities.

Sonia Gomez – Hygienist
Sonia attended Pasadena City College and graduating in 2012, earning her Registered Dental Hygienist degree. She has been practicing in Southern California for over four years and loves her career. Sonia’s number one goal is to treat every patient with compassion and care. She loves making patients feel comfortable at the dental office. There is nothing more satisfying than helping people improve their smile. Sonia loves being a part of an awesome team. Our team welcomed her with open arms and has made her feel as if she has been working with us for many years. Everyone is so nice! In her spare time, Sonia enjoys spending time with her son.

Ofelya Manalese – General Manager
General Manager Ofelya was born and raised in the capital city of Armenia, Yerevan. In 2003, she earned her bachelor’s degree in management, soon after, she moved to the United States. While she was continuing her education at City University of New York, she met her husband, Dr. Manalese, and they started their lifelong journey together. In 2013, Ofelya began working with Dr. Manalese, helping him with general management and daily practice operations. She is very compassionate about providing our team with the best workplace environment, ensuring that we all work towards one goal; to provide the best care to our patients.

Ofelya loves raising their three children in Southern California, where the kids have various opportunities to participate in sports and diverse cultural activities. Their oldest son loves playing soccer and recently joined a soccer club to play at a more competitive level. He also enjoys singing, acting, dancing, and gymnastics. Their daughter loves going to dance class and also enjoys gymnastics. The little one is a trooper who can’t wait for his turn to join in on all the activities his older brother and sister get to do.

Amver Espiritu – Lead Dental Assistant
Amver has been working with Dr. Manalese for over 6 years. He graduated from UEI College with a degree in Dental Assisting in 2011. Over the years, Amver has not only proven to be a great dental assistant and team player, but also a goal-oriented and dedicated leader. Being the lead dental assistant, he ensures that the back office runs smoothly and that patients receive an excellent experience. He also makes sure to build extreme efficiency in
patient flow. Amver enjoys his work and the different challenges he faces for each and every patient.

In his spare time, Amver enjoys playing basketball at the local park and trying out different types of foods from various cuisines. In addition, his favorite thing to do is road tripping and appreciating mother nature and the country’s amazing national parks.

Omar Rosales – Dental Assistant
I joined the Regal Dentistry team in May of this year (2018). Graduated from UEI college in 2012 where I obtained my Dental Assistant diploma. Been working in the dental field for 6 years. During this time frame I’ve worked in all aspects of Dentistry. Pediatric Dentistry, Oral Surgery, and General Dentistry. My goal as a Dental Assistant is to provided great service to all patients, and make them feel comfortable throughout their whole dental visit. I am very happy to be apart of the Regal Dentistry family. On my free time I like to exercise, attent concerts, and spend time with family.