Lawrenceville Family Practice, PC, offers family medicine and med spa services in Lawrenceville, GA.

Our Providers

Our Providers

The physicians of Lawrenceville Family Practice have taken and passed the examination given by the National Board of Family Practice. The test is retaken every seven to ten years and must be passed to maintain this status. Recertification is mandatory for Board Certified Family Practice Physicians. Our Physician Assistants are also board certified, and our Family Nurse Practitioner is a Masters prepared Family Nurse Practitioner.

We also maintain a strong referral network of specialists, and our physicians have courtesy privileges at both Northside Hospital Gwinnett  and Piedmont Eastside Medical Center.

Our History & Mission

Our History & Mission

Lawrenceville Family Practice was founded to provide care for the residents of our community and has served the Lawrenceville area with Family Primary Care physicians since 1995. Thanks to our supportive patients, we have been able to grow our practice and serve over 95,000 patients in our community. Our caring staff can provide a lifetime of care for your entire family.

Lawrenceville Family Practice is committed to providing patients with convenient access to high-quality care. We see ourselves as a cross between a traditional family practice office and an urgent care center. While a typical urgent care clinic just treats you for what you have now, we look at your overall health as well as any acute problems to make sure you are as healthy as you can be both today and tomorrow. You can think of us as an urgent care that cares about you long term health. We believe that providing high-quality care is not only about medical advice that we dispense, but more importantly about the relationships we have with our patients. We continue to strive to be a leader for innovative medical practices.

Meet Our Team

Meet Our Team

Thomas Whiteneck, DO

Dr. Thomas Whiteneck is a Board Certified Family Practice Physician. He graduated from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1985. From the years of 1986-1989, Dr. Whiteneck was a General Medical Officer in the United States Air Force in Myrtle Beach, SC. He completed his residency in 1991 at Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine in Ft. Lauderdale – Davie, FL. Dr. Whiteneck has a special interest in asthma, headaches, and osteopathic spinal manipulation.

Dr. Whiteneck is married with two children and resides in Duluth, GA. He is an avid sports fan and is proud of his sons’ achievements in football and soccer. Occasionally he will hit the links for a round of golf. Otherwise, Dr. Whiteneck likes to take his dog for walks and listen to a variety of music. Dr. Whiteneck joined Lawrenceville Family Practice in August 2010.

headshot of Thomas Whiteneck, DO
headshot of Dr. Daniel Van Riper, DO

Daniel Van Riper, DO

Dr. Dan grew up outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended medical school at The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency training in 2016 in Family Medicine at Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah, FL, where he served as Chief Resident. He is Board Certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians.

He is passionate about patient education in the areas of diabetes, fitness, diet, and cooking. He joined Lawrenceville Family Practice in 2016 and as of 2018 leads the LFP team.

Dr. Dan resides in Lawrenceville. He enjoys spending time in the kitchen, transforming unhealthy foods into delicious and healthy alternatives. His interests also include exercising, deep-sea fishing and scuba diving.

Sheri Shiels, PA-C

Sheri Shiels, PA-C, was born and raised in Long Island, NY. She earned her undergraduate degrees in both psychology and biology from S.U.N.Y. Albany. She graduated from Long Island University/Brooklyn Hospital Physician Assistant program in 1999.

Sheri has special interest in women’s health, patient education, and wellness/preventative care. She is married with two children and resides in Loganville, GA. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family. Sheri joined Lawrenceville Family Practice in May of 2015.

headshot of Sheri Shiels, PA-C
headshot of Robyn Jimenez, PA-C

Robyn Jimenez, PA-C

Robyn Jimenez, PA-C was raised in Quitman, GA in South Georgia. She has a bachelor of science degree in biology from Valdosta State University. She graduated from the Medical College of Georgia Physician Assistant program in Augusta, GA in 1988.

Robyn has a special interest in diabetes, preventative health, and women’s health. She is married with two children and resides in Flowery Branch, GA. In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor activities, gardening, and spending time with family and friends. Robyn joined Lawrenceville Family Practice in June of 2023.

Izabella Matatova, PA

Izabella Matatova, PA-C, graduated with honors from Georgia State University with a Bachelor in Biological Sciences in 2018. She earned her Masters degree in Physician Assistant Studies from PCOM – Georgia and graduated in July of 2022.

Izabella has a passion for behavioral health and preventative care. She enjoys providing patients with education regarding self care, fitness and diet. She officially joined Lawrenceville Family Practice in 2022.

Izabella resides in Suwanee, GA with her fiance and in her spare time enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

headshot of Izabella Matatova, PA-C
headshot of Patricia "Tricia" Gartin, PA-C

Patricia “Tricia” Gartin, PA-C

Raised in Buford, GA, Tricia attended the University of Georgia. After studying abroad in both Costa Rica and Peru, she graduated in 2018 with Bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and Biology. She earned her Master’s degree from Faulkner University in Montgomery, AL in 2023. She has a passion for addiction medicine, behavioral health, and preventative care. She enjoys a holistic approach to medicine and patient education. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her cat, family, and friends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)?

A DO is a Doctor of Osteopathy. Osteopathic Physicians are fully licensed physicians encompassing all specialties in all 50 states. The DO degree is conferred upon physicians in the same manner as allopathic physicians, MD, after completing 4 years of Medical School and residency training. Osteopathic physicians have additional training performing manipulative therapy for spinal ailments.

What is a PA and NP and what can they do in comparison to a doctor?

PA stands for Physician Assistant. A PA has several years of postgraduate training in clinical medicine after a college degree. Our PAs are board certified and take continuing medical education courses every year just like our physicians do.

NP stands for Nurse Practitioner, and they first obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and then attend postgraduate training and graduate with a Master’s Degree in Nursing. NPs are also board certified and take continuing medical education courses yearly.

Both disciplines treat patients from the age of 6 years and up for “sick” visits. They also perform Women’s Well Exams, PAP-smears, Sports Physicals, and Adult Well Exams .Both PA’s and NP’s also treat patients in our office for Depression/Anxiety.