Meet The Team

Dr. Matthew Annese was born here in Billerica, Massachusetts. He attended the Dutile, the Marshall, and then Austin Preparatory school in Reading where he was a member of the varsity hockey team. Dr. Annese was awarded an academic Scholarship to attend Tulane University in New Orleans. After graduating Cum laude with dual majors in Neuroscience and Cell and Molecular Biology all the while helping the city rebuild after the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Annese was admitted to the prestigious Henry M Goldman School of Dental Medicine at Boston University. Dr. Annese finished in the top 10% of his dental school class and was awarded the Compassion Care honor for his class. After graduating from Boston university, Dr Annese was awarded the MassPat scholarship which allowed him to work in Dorchester to provide excellent dental care to the underserved and those less fortunate to be able to afford the care they deserve. After a few years in Dorchester, and a few years in local private practices, Dr. Annese bought the dental office here in his hometown of Billerica. Dr Annese saw the town was missing a hometown premier dental office and really wanted to bring a different experience at a dental office home.The mission statement Dr. Annese truly stands by is to provide customized, high quality honest dental care in a state of the art setting with an amazing team. Dr. Annese constantly takes over 10x the amount of continuing education needed to maintain a license and is constantly implementing new technology in the office to allow the patient to get the best dental care possible. Dr. Annese’s current focus is in implantology, from single implants to the All on 4, teeth in a day full arch implants, to veneers and smile makeovers, and sedation dentistry. Dr. Annese is a Fellow in the International Congress of Oral Implantologist and an Associate Fellow at the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He is trained to provide IV and Oral Conscious sedation to provide comfort to those who are anxious and fearful visiting the dentists. With thousands of implants placed,and thousands of new life changing smiles, Dr. Annese frequently flies all over the country and is asked to lecture, speak, and train other doctors to be able to provide the care he provides here at North Billerica Smiles.. Doctors fly in and also spend days at the office to see the newest technology and to learn. Dr. Annese truly has a passion for providing the best dental care to his patients and elevating the dental profession as a whole.In his free time Dr. Annese enjoys coaching his son Bennet’s t-ball and hockey teams, taking his daughter Adeline to her dance show practices, chasing around his crawling daughter Nora, and enjoying skiing, traveling and a glass of wine with his wife Allison. He still plays pick up hockey from time to time and is trying to lower his handicap on the course.

Originally from Connecticut, Dr. Kozlowski grew up in a family of dental professionals and is the oldest of five children. Her father is a General Dentist and her mother is a Dental Hygienist, so she naturally gravitated towards a love of dentistry from a young age.She graduated from Assumption College in Worcester, MA with a degree in Mathematics. She then attended Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston. While in attendance at TUSDM she received both the Certificate of Excellence in Operative Dentistry and the Dr. Alfred and Mrs. Suzie Osher Scholarship, an award given to students who have demonstrated exceptionally high standards for both personal and work ethic during their time at school.Since graduating, Dr. Kozlowski has been working in Connecticut with her father, performing all aspects of dentistry and learning from his 40 years of experience. With a passion for helping people and making them smile, she is always looking for continuing education opportunities to further her knowledge of the field of dental medicine.During her time in dental school, she met her husband, Steve, and they moved to Westford in 2019 after he finished his degree in Orthodontics at Tufts. Outside of the office, Dr. Kozlowski enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and Golden Retriever. They love to golf, ski, run, and hike in their free time.

Originally from Florida, Dr. Desai has slowly been traveling up the East Coast and is excited to settle down in the Greater Boston area. She completed both her undergraduate and dental training at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. After receiving her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in 2014, she went on to complete a General Practice Residency at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where she received additional training in Endodontics, Oral Surgery, and Restorative Dentistry. Dr. Desai has since been enjoying practicing general dentistry and helping her patients achieve their oral health and smile goals in a comfortable environment. She continues to further her knowledge in the field of dentistry through continuing education and professional memberships with the Academy of General Dentistry and Spear Education.In her free time, Dr. Desai enjoys spending time with her husband, Ben, and their family and friends. They enjoy traveling around the world, trying new recipes and cuisines, and hiking.

Dr. Hilary Mello was born and raised in the small town of Acushnet on the South Coast of Massachusetts, Dr. Mello pursued her undergraduate studies at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, majoring in Biology. She then went on to earn her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.After completing her dental degree, Dr. Mello further honed her expertise through a General Practice Residency in Westchester County, New York. Upon finishing her residency, she returned to Massachusetts to begin her career in private practice serving patients in the Merrimack Valley, where she has been providing high-quality dental care to her patients.Dr. Mello is committed to ongoing professional development, continually expanding her knowledge through continuing education opportunities in various areas of dentistry. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys spending time with her husband, family and friends. She enjoys traveling to new destinations and her free time pursues hobbies such as reading, cooking and skiing.

Sara joined the North Billerica Smiles family with over a decade of experience in the dental field. She graduated from Middlesex Community College in 2010 as a dental hygienist, and later returned to school to further her education, earning her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene with a concentration in Business Management from Mount Ida College, graduating cum laude.

Sara is passionate about patient safety and infection prevention, earning advanced certifications through the OSAP-DALE Foundation and continuing her education through ADS (formally OSAP). She also holds her Dental Industry Specialist in Infection Prevention and Control (DISIPC) certification.

In addition to infection control, Sara developed a strong interest in airway health after completing sleep apnea training with Dr. Erin Elliot and 3D Dentists. Through this experience, she recognized the unique role dental hygienists play in screening for obstructive sleep apnea and other airway-related disorders. This airway-focused approach helps identify issues early, improve overall health, and support long-term dental health—highlighting the important connection between the mouth and the rest of the body. This passion led her to complete the MyoMentor 12-Week Myofunctional Therapy Training Course in 2023.

Sara is an active member of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), the Massachusetts Dental Hygienists’ Association, and the Association for Dental Safety (ADS, formerly OSAP). She also proudly served as the sterilization lead for the inaugural MDS Foundation Massachusetts Mission of Mercy in 2025.

When she’s not in the office, Sara enjoys traveling, golfing, skiing, and spending time with her Boston Terrier, Bernard.

Laura is a dental hygienist who believes great care starts with making patients feel comfortable — and maybe even sharing a laugh along the way. She enjoys building long-term relationships and takes time to explain the “why” behind oral health in a way that’s simple, relaxed, and never overwhelming. Her goal is to help patients achieve healthier smiles while leaving the office feeling cared for, confident, and at ease in the dental chair.

Olivia has been in the dental field for 5 years. She started off as a dental assistant for 2 years and transitioned to dental hygiene where she expanded her knowledge of dentistry. She loves caring for everyone and wants to make sure patients are very comfortable in the chair! Outside of the office, Olivia loves being outdoors with any motor; motorcycles, atv's, boats, and snowmobiles! 

Katherine has been in the dental field for 22 years and has a passion for all aspects of dentistry. As our #1 Treatment Coordinator, she serves as the liaison between dental treatment and patient care, helping patients understand their treatment options, navigate the process, and review financial details with confidence and clarity.  Katherine is dedicated to ensuring that every patient has a positive and comfortable experience—starting with the very first phone call.  She lives in Billerica with her husband, two children, and their dog, Miley. In her free time, Katherine enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading a good book, and cheering on her kids at their sporting events.

Breanna is our Invisalign and Insurance Coordinator. She brings an impressive 19 years of experience in the dental field! She began working in a dental office while still in high school, where she quickly discovered her passion for dentistry. After graduating, Breanna attended dental assisting school and earned recognition as a Student Ambassador, graduating with a 3.9 GPA. Breanna spent several years as an orthodontic assistant before transitioning into general dentistry, where she was cross-trained in front desk operations. Today, she is an exceptional and highly valued member of our front office team. With her extensive knowledge and approachable nature, Breanna is always happy to guide patients through insurance-related questions and help them feel confident and informed every step of the way. She is highly attentive to detail when submitting claims, correcting errors, and following up on denials or unpaid claims, which helps minimize delays and maximize patient benefits. You may even catch her assisting the doctors or taking x-rays when needed! Breanna lives locally in Tewksbury with her husband, Chris, and their three very active children. Outside of the office, she can often be found at the hockey rink, searching for sea glass at her family’s beach house in Wells Beach, Maine, gardening, cheering on the Bruins, or enjoying the perfect espresso martini!

Kathleen joined the North Billerica Smiles team when it opened its doors in 2019.

I am more than happy and excited to be working in the same town I grew up and have resided in for many years. Seeing, helping friends, familiar faces in the community and surrounding towns makes my work day!

Continuing to be a Registered Dental Assistant for 36 years, I've kept myself updated with continuing education, through many changes in dentistry, how it has grown into the technological world making patient visits a more pleasant and accommodating one. 

The placement of implants and options we have today to replace missing and or compromised teeth, the throwing away of dentures, giving back the quality of a smile, one's health and how it makes one feel about themself along Dr. Annese’s side. The best part of Kathleen’s job is meeting people and helping them make choices to attain their goals through their dental journey

Kathleen has 2 grown children/adults, 3 adorable grandchildren. Enjoys summer and warmer weather, A Game of golf, A day at the beach, live music and will never turn down a slice of Pizza! Hope to see you soon!

Julie is a registered dental assistant and  has 15 years experience in dental assisting, she has previously worked in a pediatric dental practice for 12 years and most recently 6 years in our multi specialty practice at North Billerica Smiles. She is passionate about patient care and enjoys meeting new patients of the practice. 

Julie and her husband Mike have 2 young children, Ellie and Shane. In her free time she enjoys spending her time with family. She enjoys going to lake Winnipesaukee and York beach in the summer.

Erin has been in the dental field as a dental assistant for 12 years. She enjoys making patients feel comfortable before and during dental procedures.  In her free time she enjoys spending time with her boyfriend and at the family beach house in New Hampshire.

My name is Deb Kelly and I have been working in the dental field for over 22 years. The first 18 of those years was spent working as a Certified Dental Assistant alongside a variety of dentists from all specialties in the field.

For the past 4+ years, I've been working as a front desk coordinator. Even though my role in the dental field has changed from clinical to administrative, I still use much of my clinical knowledge when interacting with patients. I truly enjoy helping patients to navigate through their dental care needs and seeing them smile! 

Outside of the dental office, I enjoy spending time outdoors, cooking, working on DIY projects with my husband and being with my family and friends.

Connie has been in the dental field for 22 years and loves helping patients feel at ease while bringing out their best smiles. She’s known for always making her team members laugh and keeping the office energy positive. When she’s not at work, she enjoys spending quality time with her family or proudly holding the title of Barry Manilow’s #1 fan. With years of experience, Connie brings warmth and positivity to everything she does.

Katelyn Sullivan, RDH, is a dedicated dental hygienist from Billerica, MA. A 2023 graduate of the University of New England with a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene, she brings a passion for patient-centered care and oral health education to our team. Outside the office, Katelyn enjoys playing tennis, spending quality time with her boyfriend in Wakefield, and cherishing moments with her family and pets.