Matthew Slivka, DMD

So, a little bit about me.  To begin with I’m happy to say that I love my job! I enjoy practicing dentistry, but quite frankly, one of the best things about my job is that I get to choose the amazing people I work with.  I also love the fact that I get to interact with so many different people from so many different walks of life—all throughout the course of a typical workday. As a kid I grew up in your relatively typical suburban neighborhood in Murray, Utah.  Like most kids, I was a bit blind to the fact that everyone has their own background and story that shapes their decisions and who they are. 

After I graduated from I high school I spent two years living in Russia serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  The time I spent in Russia developing friendships and relationships with people so completely different from me, was really the first time my eyes were opened to that wonderful thing called “diversity.”  After returning home I followed this passion in pursuing a degree in International Development.  Yeah, not your typical route to dental school, right?  It’s a bit of a long story, but as my major focused on saving the world I started taking the necessary pre-requisites for dental school.  As part of this, the summer of 2007 found Becky and me traveling around the Ukraine visiting with, shadowing, and interviewing Ukrainian dental clinics.  It was an incredible experience and really the highlight of my time at BYU. 

As I graduated from BYU in the spring of 2004, Becky and I packed up and moved to the Midwest for dental school at Case School of Dental Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.  The next four years were full of studying, stress, class, and clinic.  Upon graduating dental school in 2008, Becky and I essentially decided to “move back home” to Utah but would make a temporary stop in Tucson on the way there.  Well, that temporary stop has now turned into the permanent home we were searching for.  While we wish we were a bit closer to family in Utah, we couldn’t be happier than we are living here in Tucson.

When we moved to Tucson, I began my career working for a large dental corporation.  I knew it wasn’t what I wanted long term.  After a year I began the preparations and plan to open my own dental practice and in July of 2010 I opened Rockside Dental.  The greatest advantage of being the owner is the ability to influence our priorities and core values.  I am a member of the ADA and Arizona Dental Association.  Every year I invest heavily in courses focused on oral surgery, dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, and digital dentistry to make sure I stay up to date on the best ways to take care of our patients.

So that’s a little (okay, I guess a lot) about me.  Here I am now loving life with my rockstar wife, Becky, and our six kids.  Yep, the picture doesn’t lie. Those are 5 girls (Zoey, Heidi, Annie, Macey, and Sophie) I’m blessed to raise.  And I have a boy-Isaac.  Life is full of dance parties, dance recitals, stuffed unicorns, and hair clogging the drain. . .  with an occasional soccer and volleyball game mixed in.  I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way!  When I’m not with the family or serving at our church, I find myself drawn to the outside.  I love trail running, mountain biking, and just about anything you can do outside. In the end, being a husband and father is the best part of my life. 

To get to know my family a little, you gotta check out our family music videos below. . . it's an annual Father's Day tradition. 

2015  Best Song Ever  

2016  House Party  

2017  Classic  

2018  Love You Like the Movies 

2019 She's With Me   

Dr. Stephen Jackson

Dr. Jackson was born and raised in Orem, Utah.  As early as he can remember, Dr. Jackson has loved sports.  During his high school days, Dr. Jackson played varsity football, basketball, and baseball.  While his current schedule doesn’t allow for him to play as much, he still enjoys watching and participating in team sports whenever he can.  He more recently has found a love for golf and pickleball as well.

Dr. Jackson’s college days were spent at Brigham Young University (BYU), where he studied hard and graduated summa cum laude and as the valedictorian of The College of Health and Human Performance.  When he wasn’t studying, Dr. Jackson was cheering on his beloved BYU Cougars and remains an avid fan to this day.

Shortly after college, Dr. Jackson met his wonderful wife Danielle.  They began their married life together as Dr. Jackson entered dental school at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU).  Four years later, Dr. Jackson graduated with honors from OHSU School of Dentistry and received his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree.  His education allows him to perform a wide variety of advanced dental procedures including root canals, implant surgery, teeth extractions, and cosmetic dentistry.

Some of Dr. Jackson’s other interests include playing games, going to the movies, and travelling to new places.  While these things are fun, his greatest joy comes from spending time with his wife and three kids (Alexa, Bennett, and Caden).

Next to his family, his first priority is to his patients. Accordingly, Dr. Jackson makes sure to keep up with the latest that dentistry has to offer through dental study clubs and continuing education courses.  Dr. Jackson works hard to make you feel comfortable, and hopes that as a patient here, you feel like you’re part of the family.