Our Staff

Martha E. Rich, D.M.D.

Dr. Rich received her B.S. from Boise State University in 1978 and earned her D.M.D. degree from Oregon Health Sciences University in 1981. Upon entering into private practice shortly after graduation, Dr. Rich began to feel strongly that her fundamental dental education did not cover enough information about temporomandibular joint disorders, chronic headache pain, and occlusion or ‘bite’. She began attending what would grow into hundreds of hours of continuing education courses on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of TMJ disorders, eventually earning her Mastership with the International College of Craniomandibular Orthopedics and a Fellowship with the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain. From her more than 30 years of clinical experience and original research on the subject, Dr. Rich has gone on to lecture and present papers internationally on the diagnostic relationships between muscle function, facial pain, and occlusion.

From 1984 to 1991, Dr. Rich was also an associate professor of Fixed Prosthodontics at OHSU School of Dentistry. In addition to teaching in the laboratories and clinics, she diagnosed and treated complicated occlusion cases for other faculty members and students and taught in the occlusion courses. While studying TMJ disorders and the science of occlusion (bites), Dr. Rich became interested in orthodontics and how the re-positioning of the bite could improve the function of the entire system. After pursuing hundreds of additional hours of study in this discipline, she began treating adult patients from the holistic perspective of orthodontically realigning the bite in order to create healthier muscles and joints.

Early orthodontic intervention and prevention with children was a natural next step for Dr. Rich, and she has been providing functional orthodontic treatment to both children and adults for more than 20 years now. She has recently earned the title of Senior Certified Instructor from the International Association for Orthodontics and is excited to facilitate the advancement of this knowledge among her peers.

The complex interrelationships between the different systems of the body have always fascinated Dr. Rich. Beyond the functional relationships between the jaw, facial muscles, and bite, Dr. Rich is also deeply interested in the effect of oral health on the overall health of the body, and has focused her practice around the concept of providing the highest quality dental care in support of whole body wellness. She is a firm believer in cooperative healthcare, and has worked hard to create a network of general physicians, specialists, and alternative healthcare providers with whom she can partner in providing the most comprehensive care for her patients.

The connections between sleep airway disorders and the positioning of the jaw and tongue are also of special interest to Dr. Rich. She is a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and has worked in conjunction with other physicians and sleep practitioners for nearly 20 years in treating people with obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep airway disorders.

Dr. Rich is also a graduate of the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies where she studied facial esthetics and the science of smile design. She is certified by the World Clinical Laser Institute in the use of a hard-tissue laser for laser-assisted dentistry, and she has earned a Fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry.

Dr. Rich has been in private practice in downtown Portland since 1981. She is married and enjoys a wide variety of outdoor activities including walking, gardening, biking, skiing, and hiking. She is an avid football fan, attending as many of her son’s and grandsons’ games as her schedule allows. She also loves the performing arts, movies, and attending plays. She continues to read a great deal and vows to never stop learning.

Soheila Sabahi, R.D.H.

Soheila Sabahi moved to the U.S. in 1985 and received her Associate’s degree in Dental Hygiene in 1989 from Clark College in Vancouver, Washington. She has worked with Dr. Rich since 1993, and continues to be a leader in the ongoing improvement and development of a comprehensive hygiene program designed to meet the individual needs of our patients. Soheila is passionate about all aspects of health, and she is particularly interested in the impact of a person’s oral health on their overall health. By listening to her patients and understanding the unique circumstances of their health and lifestyle, Soheila helps people discover the most effective home-care tools and techniques to support an optimal level of oral health.

Soheila is also deeply committed to learning and staying abreast of advances in technology and clinical theory. She has taken extensive coursework to expand her skills in general hygiene and periodontal treatment, including receiving certifications from the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies in Evolutionary Hygiene and the World Clinical Laser Institute in Laser Periodontal Therapy.

Throughout her years with the practice, Soheila has developed a clinical partnership with Dr. Rich that she treasures. She enjoys sharing her knowledge with other team members to support their growth and learning. In her free time, she also enjoys reading medical journals and biographies, travelling, spending time at the beach, attending family gatherings, cooking, dancing, and listening to a wide variety of music.

Margo Virchow, Office Manager and Clinical Facilitator

Margo Virchow has worked in dentistry since 1988 and has been with Dr. Rich since 1994. Her job titles are office manager and clinical facilitator, but she’s best described as the “Jill of all trades.” In addition to managing the business aspects of the practice, her wide range of experience and education allows her to assist the doctors in clinical procedures when needed. Much of her time, however, is devoted to her favorite part of dentistry: getting to know patients and learning about their concerns and goals for their health. She is an instrumental part of a patient’s first experience in the practice, partnering with both doctors in helping people understand their current level of dental health and the options available to maintain or improve their health.

Passionate about learning, Margo has completed extensive continuing education courses in the areas of communication and facilitation. Her skills in these areas lend themselves well to providing patients a warm and genuine experience, free of judgment or a pre-set agenda. She enjoys the long-term relationships that patients form in our practice, as well as celebrating the successful strides in health that patients make over time. She is also a leader and a mentor in the practice and often facilitates team meetings.

Margo is a member of the Oregon Dental Executives Association. In her free time she enjoys camping, travel, Zumba dance, and riding motorcycles with her husband and friends. She is devoted to her family and giving back to the community through volunteer work.

Shannon Balcom, Clinical Facilitator and Administrator, B.S.

Shannon is a graduate of Oregon State University where she earned her B.S. in Speech Communication with an emphasis in writing in 2008. She enjoys being the first person you might see or talk to when you come into or call the office, and is responsible for a wide variety of duties, ranging from scheduling appointments and performing bookkeeping tasks, to facilitating your first new patient appointment with the practice.

In her free time, Shannon enjoys participating in Portland’s thriving theater community, where she performs improv comedy and performs and writes sketch comedy. Recently, she had the opportunity to study at Chicago’s famed Second City Training Center, and she is looking forward to the possibility of continuing her comedic studies there at some point in the future.

Alison Healy, Clinical Assistant, EFODA

Alison is an Oregon native who grew up in SE Portland and graduated from West Linn High School. She received her Associate’s degree and Dental Assisting certificate from PCC in 2008. Alison joined the practice in 2010 and has quickly become an invaluable member of the clinical team, assisting both Dr. Rich and Dr. Rose, as well as taking the lead in organizing both clinical supplies and support.

Passionate about volunteering, Alison regularly assists Dr. Rich on the Medical Teams International dental van, places sealants and educates local youth through the Oregon Health Authority’s Dental Sealant Program, and has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity.

In her free time, Alison enjoys cooking, running, and hiking, as well as live music, theater, and the ballet. Her dream is to travel the world, and she is currently planning a trip to Greece and Italy.

Nubia Hirschfield, Clinical Assistant

Nubia received her Surgical Dentistry license at the Universidad Benito Juarez de Oaxaca in Oaxaca, Mexico in 2004. After graduation, she was accepted into an orthodontic residency in Oaxaca, where she practiced as a dentist until moving to the United States with her husband in 2008. She joined Dr. Rich’s practice in 2010 as a clinical assistant and is thrilled to have the opportunity to work in the field of dentistry again.

Like everyone on our staff, Nubia is passionate about helping people. She approaches every patient as if he or she were a member of her own family and strives to bring comfort and support to those who feel anxious or uncertain.

In her spare time, Nubia enjoys dancing to Latin music, swimming, and preparing traditional foods from her home region of Oaxaca. Recently, she and her husband welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Leyla May, into their family, and they are both enjoying being new parents.

Courtney Willis, Clinical Assistant, BS

Courtney graduated from the University of Idaho with a B.S. in Biology in 2011. While there, she had the opportunity to attend the University of Melbourne in Australia for a semester, focusing her studies on nutrition, food production, and immunology. Originally a summer intern, Courtney has joined the practice for the next year to gather as much knowledge and experience as she can while she applies for fall 2012 acceptance into dental school.

Courtney is especially interested in how good oral health can promote overall healthy body systems, and she enjoys how knowledgeable her coworkers are about not just dental care, but diet, disease, and healthy lifestyles. In her free time, Courtney enjoys, hiking, playing tennis, and walking with her dog.