Willow Knolls’s Hometown Dentist Office

Looking for dental care in Willow Knolls? You’ve come to the right place. At Smalltown Dental, you can get a variety of different services, including dental cleanings, emergency treatment, fillings, extractions, mouth guards, and fluoride treatments. Whatever services you’re looking for, we’re ready to assist you. At this location, you’ll find Dr. Jim Horst and a team of hygienists, dental assistants, and patient relations experts.

Schedule an Appointment Today (309) 691-7855

General & Cosmetic Dentistry

The Smalltown Dental philosophy comes down to two things: we want to ensure that our patients are comfortable while getting the most advanced dental care available in the area. While we’re proud of our modern equipment, many patients comment on how at ease our hometown atmosphere makes them feel.

At our Willow Knolls office, you can get the following kinds of treatment:

  • General – Our Willow Knolls office offers cleanings, as well as a variety of restorative services.
  • Pediatric – Good dental care starts young. Make sure your child’s oral health is at its peak.
  • Cosmetic – Dissatisfied with the appearance of your smile? Our cosmetic service is for you.

Whether you’re looking for a minor cosmetic treatment or you need serious dental work, you’ve found the dental facility that's here to help you. On our site, you can learn more about the services we offer.

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Meet the Team

Smalltown Dental Willow Knolls

James Horst, DDS

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James Horst, DDS

Doctor

As a Peoria-area native, Dr. Jim Horst completed his pre-dental course work at Illinois Central College before moving onto the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana earning his Doctorate of Dental Surgery at the University of Illinois at Chicago. This is also where he met his loving wife Michelle, who is a Dentist herself.

Dr. Jim enjoys general dentistry including but not limited to, comprehensive oral care, general as well as complex restorative treatment, simple extractions, fixed and removable tooth/teeth replacement, implant restorations, esthetics, whitening, etc. Dr. Jim is happily improving the smiles and self-confidence of his community by providing quality and ethical treatment alongside his energetic compassionate staff. He isa member of the American Dental Association, Illinois State Dental Society, and Peoria District Dental Society to stay up to date with the newest techniques, materials, and yearly continuing education.

Other than dentistry, Dr. Jim spends as much time as possible with his wife and 3 kids. He also enjoys nature, horticulture, cooking, trail walks, and wood working. In his free time he enjoys getting together with his VERY large extended family (including 16 nieces and nephews, most of whom reside in the Peoria area).

Christine

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Christine

Hygienist

Christine graduated from Illinois Central College with an Associate Degree in Applied Science – Dental Hygiene. Her certifications and trainings include:-Local anesthesia-Nitrous oxide sedation-Nutrition-Team BuildingChristine and her husband, Corey, have a son, Jason. When away from work, she enjoys watching her son play baseball, hiking, and being with family, friends, and her dog – Sawyer. Christine loves working with a great team that makes her job easier to address patients’ concerns and dental health. She enjoys helping her patients keep a healthy mouth and smile.

Keri

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Keri

Hygienist

Keri is a Registered Dental Hygienist with an associates degree in applied science from Illinois Central College. She is passionate about her job and her patients. Her favorite part is helping her patients through any dental anxiety they may have and seeing how their fears of dental offices change. When Keri isn't working, she enjoys baking, binging true crime podcasts and keeping her three crazy cats out of trouble. She says her biggest accomplishment is being the proud momma bear to a wise 17-year-old son, and a strong 19 year old daughter in the U.S. Army. “I love what I do, and I do what I love.”

Kayla

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Kayla

Dental Assistant

Kayla has been assisting since 2018. She has obtained training in periodontal treatment as well as general dentistry. After a short time working a corporate job, she realized how much she missed the dental field and decided to come back and start fresh with Smalltown Dental! Kayla’s favorite thing about being a dental assistant is the relationship between Doctors, assistants, and patients, and the teamwork it takes to create a beautiful smile.

In her free time, Kayla spends time outdoors with fiancé Brett and son Jack riding jeeps and four-wheelers around their property. She also enjoys live music any chance she gets!

Becky

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Becky

Business Team

Becky graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Dakota and has been in the dental field for over 15 years. She is proud to work at Smalltown Dental and enjoys listening to the patients' needs and concerns; which she makes a top priority. She also finds it rewarding to work with such an amazing staff that focuses on bringing happy, healthy smiles to all of their patients. Becky enjoys spending time with her family: Scott (Husband), Rachel & Nicole (Daughters), and son-in-law Jon. She also enjoys reading, dancing, gardening, traveling, and most importantly – meeting new people!

Brandi

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Brandi

Business Team

Prior to joining the Smalltown Dental Team, Brandi worked in recruiting for manufacturing, clerical, and professional positions for 5+ years and truly has a passion for matching candidates with their dream jobs. She enjoys being the first face new employees see when they start their journey with Smalltown and watching each individual grow within their role. In her free time, Brandi likes to go hiking and kayaking with her husband, Derek, cuddling with her black lab, Hudson, and spending time with family.

Troy

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Troy

Business Team

Troy absolutely loves his job! He claims he has the best job at Smalltown Dental, because when he shows up he's there to fix things, and when he leaves everyone is happy! He is full of energy and always positive. Troy has one daughter and two amazing grandchildren that he can't get enough of. When he's not maintaining our offices, he loves to weightlift, golf and go to church.

Jenna

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Jenna

Business Team

Jenna has a degree in education from Eastern Illinois University. Seven years ago she found a passion in the dental field. She started building her dental career while working with patients and insurance companies as a billing specialist in an oral surgeons office. She joined Smalltown Dental in 2022 to further her career as the Insurance and Audit Manager. Jenna is married to her husband, Ryan, and is a stepmom to his three boys. In her spare time she enjoys being with her family and friends, doing home projects, spending time outdoors and binge watching her favorite shows.

Tori

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Tori

Business Team

Tori has been assisting for 4 1/2 years. She is CPR Certified and completed her Dental Assistant Certification at Midwest Technical Institute. She really enjoys building relationships and getting to know each patient on a professional and personal level. Tori’s expanded functions include: -Nitrous Oxide Sedation-E4D Technologies-ZOOM!TM WhiteningShe is married to her high school sweetheart Seth, and together they have a daughter, Skylar. Tori loves spending her free time with family, friends, being outside, and shopping.

Alysa

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Alysa

Business Team

Alysa graduated from Midwest Technical Institute as a Dental Assistant. She then worked as a dental assistant and a receptionist for 5 years before starting with Smalltown Dental. Driven by her dental experiences, Alysa strives to make patients feel more comfortable and at ease in the dental office. Alysa loves hunting, fishing, and spending time with her husband, 2 wonderful kids, and 3 dogs.

Jessica

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Jessica

Business Team

Jessica is a graduate of Illinois Central College in Applied Science-Dental Hygiene. She worked as a hygienist for the past 9 years and is currently working on a bachelor's degree in Dental Hygiene Education and Management. Jessica is married and has a daughter. She enjoys time with family, camping, and being outdoors.

Vanessa

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Vanessa

Business Team

Vanessa Buchheit is the Chief Operations Officer for Smalltown Dental and has devoted nearly 20 years to the dental industry. Before becoming a COO, Vanessa spent years developing dental teams by working side-by-side with them in a national consulting role. Using her real-world professional experience coupled with her mastery of the business, Vanessa can ensure that our operations at Smalltown Dental support superior patient care and maintain employee satisfaction. In her free time, she loves traveling and spending time with her family.

Tess

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Tess

Business Team

Tess graduated as a Global Scholar from Bradley University with a degree in Advertising and Marketing. She enjoyed playing soccer at Bradley and studying abroad in England and Italy. Smalltown Dental - Her experience lies in branding, content creation and graphic design. Her professional life has taken her all over the country from working in CGI Illustration for Caterpillar in Peoria to on-mountain marketing for Vail Resorts in Colorado. She also remote-built a design campaign for a series of restaurants in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii. In her free time, she loves coffee tasting and traveling with her husband, Stephen and son, Cash.

Luke

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Luke

Business Team

Luke graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Bradley University and has been in the medical field serving as a manager for 13 years. He is also the president of the 7309 Knoxville Condo Association. In his free time, Luke is the Morton Potters Boys Varsity Assistant Basketball Coach and has been in that role since 2006. Luke is a member of Morton Rotary and a chairman on the Gameball Run committee. Luke is married to his wife Erin and they have 2 children, Briggs and Kenzie. He enjoys hunting and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Vanessa

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Vanessa

Business Team

Vanessa started with Smalltown Dental as Business Team in Tremont, IL then transitioned to practice manager at Smalltown Morton. She then grew to be the practice manager at Smalltown Kids as well and is now the Regional Manager. Vanessa has enjoyed the opportunity to meet all the teams, build relationships with so many team members and grow within the company. Prior to that she has experience as an office manager in a chiropractic office and an orthodontic office. She was also the co-founder and CFO at Aerial Athletics for 6 years. Vanessa is married to her husband Mark and his 2 kids keep them busy with basketball, baseball, and softball. Vanessa and Mark volunteer frequently with community events and St. Jude. In her small amount of free time Vanessa also loves to travel and spend time with family & friends.

Drew

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Drew

Business Team

Drew was born and raised in central Illinois. He has been in the dental field for over 12 years. Drew is certified in Oral Conscious Sedation. When he is not in the dental office, Drew enjoys spending time with his daughter camping, fishing and canoeing. He loves music and enjoys collecting vinyl records, cooking, and playing the harmonica in his spare time. Drew looks forward to coming into work at Smalltown Dental every day. He says he has been lucky enough to make lifelong friends with his coworkers!

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