Meet our Staff

Dear Valued Patient,

I am excited to introduce myself, my name is Dr. Yara Soto. My husband Albert and I have recently moved to San Diego, where he grew up. My husband’s father, Dr. Albert Molina, had his family practice in El Cajon for over 25 years, and we look forward to continuing to care for this wonderful community. It makes us happy to be somewhere that really focuses on a warm and inviting atmosphere. We are also grateful to live in San Diego, surrounded by warm weather and sandy beaches. Albert and I are always looking for an excuse to be outside and enjoy San Diego weather with our toy Australian Shepard, Bruce.

Since graduating from dental school in 2012, I have been constantly attending courses to stay current in the latest technology, procedures, and biocompatible materials available in the dental field to provide the best care possible. I am proud to be a graduate of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry Implant Maxicourse at the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, a program recognized as one of the finest in the world. This will allow us to provide all of your dental needs at one location.

I am excited and thankful to be the successor to Dr. Hunter. I look forward to working with this amazing team and providing you with the same personalized care as you’ve come to expect. He has spoken so highly of you and your loyalty, and I look forward to meeting each of you personally.

Thank you in advance for the opportunity to earn your trust.

Warm Regards,
Dr. Yara Soto

My name is Albert and I am the practice administrator at Bella Dental. I graduated dental school in 2012 and together with my wife, Yara, took over Bella Dental in January 2021. While I am mainly focused on running the administrative side of the practice, I am also involved in a few special cases to complement the work of my beautiful wife. We are committed to provide excellent care along with the latest technology and only the highest quality materials. When I am not in the office, I hope to be on a golf course or enjoying food and drinks with family and friends. My wife and I feel very fortunate to have found such a great office with a great team and such friendly and loyal patients.

My name is Abby Shaeffer and I have worked in the field of dentistry for over 20 years. I started as a registered dental assistant and then continued my education in dental hygiene and have been the hygienist at Bella Dental since 2010. I love my career as a hygienist and I consider all of my patients family. In my spare time, I love being outdoors and spending time with my family and friends.

My name is Deanne and I have been a part of Bella Dental since 2011. I take pride in getting to know every patient on a personal level so that I can make every office visit as pleasant as possible. I am extremely hard working and always do my best to help everyone in any way I can. I will go out of my way to make sure that patients are taken care of and that they understand their treatment, how their insurance works, and everything in between. If you are looking for personalized care, you have come to the right place.

My name is Dr. Bruce and I am an emotional support animal in charge of making nervous patients calm. Dental offices can be very stressful and people are often nervous, scared and in pain. If you need help relaxing for your dental treatment, do not hesitate to ask for my help. Also, I love treats (just saying).

January 8, 2021

Dear Valued Patient,

It has been my pleasure to serve as your dental healthcare provider in the community of El Cajon for the past forty-five years. Your loyalty has been more than remarkable, and I am forever grateful for your allegiance. Throughout the years I have been fortunate and blessed to surround myself with talented individuals who have been the backbone of our practice. Our team members are not just employees but part of our dental family.

Thousands of patients have called our practice home and I would like to thank everyone past and present who have trusted their oral health care to us. It is with great appreciation that I’m pleased to announce my retirement. The transition of our practice will begin on January 8th, 2021 to my successor, Dr. Yara Soto.  

Collaborating with Dr. Soto I am confident in her clinical skills and personal character to accept the responsibility to become your family dentist. We will be working closely together as we transition the practice and I promise to introduce her to as many of you as possible before my tenure is complete. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 619-444-6157.

On a personal note, I must confess I feel some sadness on the occasion of my retirement. I have had the pleasure to treat you from childhood to adulthood and then had the privilege to treat your children and grandchildren. I believe that these past forty-five years have been about more than just dentistry. Valerie and I feel fortunate to have developed good personal relationships with many of you and consider you friends. I am very confident that Dr. Soto will continue the traditions of this office in a caring and professional manner. 

Warm Regards,
Dr. J. Andrew Hunter

January 8, 2021

My name is Jaqui and I am a recent graduate of the UEI dental assistant program. I have been part of the team at Bella Dental Group for 1 year now. I like to consistently challenge myself and learn as much as I can. That is why I love working at Bella Dental because they use the latest technology and I am constantly learning about new technology and procedures. I also love how nice all of the patients are here. It really is a great working environment.