Dr. Jahnigen was born in Toronto, Canada and moved shortly after to Columbia, Maryland. She attended the University of Maryland Baltimore County and graduated Cum Laude with a dual degree in Biology and Psychology. Dr. Jahnigen earned her dental degree from the University of Maryland School of Dental Surgery where she also was invited to join both the Gamma Pi Delta Honor Society and the Gorgas Odontological Honor Society, highly selective societies, which induct students exhibiting exceptional dental ability and character essential to the practice of dentistry. Upon graduation Dr. Jahnigen was presented with the Maryland Society of Dentistry for Children Award for excellence in pedodontics. Completing her post-graduate specialty training in Pediatric Dentistry at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Dr. Jahnigen served as chief resident from 1992-1993, her training and hands-on experience ranged from emergency room dentistry to treating and counseling children with cleft palate to dealing with the special needs of medically compromised children.

A member of the Maryland Society of Dentistry for Children and the Maryland Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Jahnigen practiced dentistry in Columbia, MD before joining a very successful practice in Annapolis, MD. In 1997 she accepted a 13-month position with the US army and worked as a contract dentist in Kitzingen, Germany treating the dependent children of the military personnel stationed there. She and her family spent the year touring Europe and learning the German language. Following her return she remained with the practice in Annapolis for a total of 15yrs before deciding to join smiles4children in August of 2007.

Her husband Greg is also from Maryland and is the Director of Technology at the Severn School in Severna Park. They have lived happily with their three boys, Zachary, Nathan and Sammy in Catonsville MD since 1989. Together they enjoy camping, skiing, hiking, traveling and spending time with their friends and family.