Columbia Basin Health Association welcomes Nicole 'Nikki' Tomblin, DDS

Dr. Tomblin grew up in Southern California around the Torrence area. “I didn’t grow up around snow, so being here and experiencing it is exciting,” she replied when asked her thoughts on Eastern Washington’s snowy December and January. She attended Santa Clara University and graduated from the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at University of Southern California. She learned about the CBHA Residency Program through her dental school. “Coming to Washington was the first time I had been out of the state of California,” she said. She interviewed at several Washington dental locations and chose CBHA because “it was clear to me that something special was going on at CBHA.”

Dr. Tomblin made a decision to accept a full-time job as a dentist at CBHA after finishing her yearlong residency. “The residency gave me an opportunity to see what dentistry is like in the real world. I became well acquainted with my patients during that time and made a decision to live here permanently.” She learned to speak Spanish as a child and has found that very helpful in her work.

In addition, Dr. Tomlin loves to cook and experiment with recipes. “The fruits and vegetables grown here are full of flavor and freshness,” she said. She also likes to read. Because she spends a lot of time on the road, she listens to audio books on her way out to Mattawa and back. Her favorite author is Jodi Picoult. When time allows, Dr. Tomlin likes to exercise and practice yoga.