Dea has a 28 year history in the dental field. She first trained as a dental assistant in Buffalo, New York before entering the field of oral surgery in Houston, Texas. There she worked as head scrub tech for a group of surgeons.

Dea relocated to the Cassville area in 1995 and began working with Dr. Thompson in 2000. She has worked in both the clinical and business areas of the practice. She is currently serving as the office coordinator.

"Dentistry has always been a passion for me, second only to my three children, Zac, Macayla and Ian," she remarked. "I, also, enjoy interior design, fabricating custom draperies and the great outdoors of the beautiful Missouri Ozarks."