Meet Dr Lemke
Ryan Lemke DDS and his staff strive to provide the best possible dentistry available while located in a warm, craftsman-style Wallingford neighborhood house, and a relaxing, stress-free atmosphere. The staff at Wallingford Family Dentistry have the excellent reputation that comes with years of experience. Please come and visit our “home”.
You will be greeted into our practice by Mary, our office manager. 30 years of experience has made Mary a master of dental administration. Billing, insurance, and scheduling can be bewildering. Trust in Mary to help you figure everything out.
Carla is the lead hygienist, with over 20 years of experience, and over 16 years at Wallingford Family Dentistry. It is no exaggeration to say she is an institution. While many patients come in to our practice for Dr Lemke, they keep coming back for the unparalleled skill and gentleness they experience in her hands.
The Puget Sound has been home for Dr Lemke since he first arrived in 2000 as an enlisted sailor in the Navy, serving two tours in the Persian Gulf.
Dr Lemke earned his BS in Biochemistry from UW Seattle, living in and near Wallingford for 10 years. He first found himself at Wallingford Family Dentistry prior to dental school, while shadowing the previous owner, Dennis Falcone. Dr Lemke moved to NYC to earn his DDS from Columbia University, among world-class staff and peers. He then completed a hospital residency in Denver; gaining experience in expanded surgical and prosthodontic techniques. Returning to Wallingford to take ownership of Wallingford Family Dentistry is the dream job of a lifetime for Dr Lemke.
Dr Lemke is happy to find in dentistry a career that fulfills his need to constantly serve people. He believes that it’s not enough to hone his craft daily, but to continually learn new techniques and advanced procedures. He is happiest when comforting an anxious patient, or delivering a perfect restoration. Dr. Lemke will help you make a plan to achieve your best oral health, and he will be your partner and your friend through all phases of your treatment. He endeavors to make every visit at our office begin with laughter and end with camaraderie.
Besides staying busy with the practice, Dr Lemke volunteers in local free dental clinics like the annual King County Clinic. He vaccinated over 1000 people during the King County COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
Dr Lemke is an active member of the American Dental Association (ADA) and a voting delegate at the Washington State Dental Association (WSDA) House of Delegates. He is a member of the WSDA Benefits Committee, where they work tirelessly to enact legislation in Olympia to improve dental benefits (dental insurance) for all of Washington State. He has served 4 years on the Executive Council of the Seattle King County Dental Society (SKCDS). He participates in multiple local study clubs and travels frequently for hands-on workshops to broaden his skills.
Dr. Lemke brought his incredible wife, Clare, back to Seattle with him in 2016. Many longterm patients got to know Clare when she took the reigns at the front desk for the first few years of Dr Lemke’s ownership. Ryan and Clare are avid cyclists and outdoorspeople, dance, music, and art fans. Ryan is overjoyed to show Clare around Seattle’s fantastic cultural scene and the wild and rugged beauty of the surrounding mountains and waters. Recently they bought a small home in Magnolia and welcomed their first son.