The foundation of our dental tradition began in 1939 when Walter Bunce, DDS graduated from the University of Minnesota Dental School and opened his dental practice on Grand Ave in St. Paul, MN. Wally, as he was affectionately known, practiced for a year and a half in St. Paul and then moved the practice to historic downtown Stillwater in 1941. He married and enlisted in the Army in 1942 and served in WWII. The practice was temporarily closed during his service. He resumed practice in downtown Stillwater upon returning from WWII in 1946.
Brian Bunce, DDS joined his Father in the dental practice on October 1, 1975 after graduating from the University of Minnesota Dental School. He practiced dentistry for 43 years until his retirement in September, 2018. Ann Bunce was his long-time office manager/front desk and dental assistant for most of those years and the couple retired together after Ann hinted to Brian that the time was right.
Sara Cody DDS purchased the practice from Brian in September, 2018, renaming it Lift Dental. She expanded the 1 chair operatory to 3 operatories adding dental hygiene services and moved to a larger new clinic at the current location 1 block to the south on 2nd Street in February, 2019. Grand Opening of the new clinic and a Retirement Celebration for Brian and Ann Bunce was held April 5, 2019. Sara is a 2006 graduate of Marquette University Dental School and 2007 graduate of the Milwaukee Veterans Affairs Medical Center Advanced General Dentistry Residency Program. She has been in private practice in Milwaukee, WI, and Cleveland, OH, from 2007-2010 and in Hudson, WI, since the family returned home to the Stillwater area in 2010.
Dr Cody and Lift Dental cherishes and continues the legacy of Bunce Dentistry in downtown Stillwater going into its 80th year overall and 78th year since Wally Bunce DDS saw his first patient in Stillwater in 1941. We honor our founders, the Bunce Family, with a mural on the front wall in the clinic of Wally examining Brian when he was 5 years old. You can see the mural and Wallys original dental chair on display in the front of Lift Dental.
This LIFT dental leader, Dr. Sara Cody, is passionate to surround herself with an exceptional, BIG-Hearted and humble team. She strives for personal and professional greatness and is motivated to encourage all to DREAM BIG and to be the positive change in this world! Her great drive and ambition allow her to accomplish all the daily tasks of a mom, wife, and business owner but watch her get caught in the moment of fun, laughter and good times!
Looking for an individual to push you to be better? Well, we found her! Tania, our dental hygienist, can motivate you to live a life of balance while focusing on what matters most. She values a healthy lifestyle, has great morals and provides exemplary compassionate care for our patients. Love her burst of energy and positivity especially at 7am! She is such a fun loving, cheerful person who brings out the best in everyone. Tania is a proud mama to 2 adorable, talented daughters. Just like their mama, these ladies will touch many lives and do great things to make this world a better place. You ROCK it!
We are thrilled to have this hardworking, attention-detailed, super assistant join our Lift Dental Family.With over 10 years of dental assisting experience and a love for organization, you can find Alisha keeping Lift Dental on track behind the scenes. Love her focus and determination in keeping our systems going while never skipping a detail. This kind, down to earth mom of 2 is on the go outside of work.Always fun to hear the outdoor activities she enjoys with her husband and kids. Youre a rock star!
That warm, welcoming voice behind the phone is our very own Mary Jo! Her calming demeanor and friendly smile will put you at ease as you are greeted. This awesome, humble lady has more gifts and talents than she will acknowledge. She is very creative, has an eye for fashion and dcor, and has great attention to detail. Her wisdom and experience is unparalleled and her calming voice of reason resonates. Ask her sometime about her fishes. You da best MJ!
Reviews
Rating 5.0 out of 5 based on 160 reviews
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newest oldest highest lowestHeidi
a year ago
Dr.Cody and her staff welcomed our family from the start! After receiving care elsewhere for 20+ years, we felt a change was needed. We now have vast experience at Lift Dental... for reference: two new (beautiful) front teeth for my adult son, several crowns and cavity repairs for the rest of us. Regular cleanings too. Everything in her office (even the decor) is cutting edge. I have had a lot of work completed and previously "feared" the dentist... Dr. Cody and her staff keep you comfortable during your visit and despite all the work I've had done, I've experienced little to no pain during or after. I am more than pleased with Lift Dental!
natalie slevin
a year ago
Love Lift Dental! The whole staff is incredible and I felt so taken care of. I needed more than just a cleaning and everyone was so kind, thorough, and made me totally comfortable with every visit. Highly recommended!
Sarah T
a year ago
Dr. Cody and her staff are amazing! The facility is lovely and inviting and the staff is professional and make you feel at ease for any dental procedure. I highly recommend Lift Dental!
Steve Ryan
a year ago
Consistency is good for me. Dr. Cody took over my longtime dentist's practice. The high quality care has remained seamless.
Margie Asmus
a year ago
My experience at lift dental was wonderful. I am quite elderly and the staff is so kind and caring . I had to park a distance away due to street repair and they walked me back to my car. The hygienist was thorough and very gentle. The whole staff is friendly and professional. I highly recommend Lift Dental
Pyth Plays
a year ago
Very caring and thorough care by everyone.
Nicole Leach
a year ago
Amazing customer service! We are so grateful for the time and effort put in to make our experience the best it could be!
Kathy Lipps
a year ago
Lift Dental is amazing! Thankful to find a calm refreshing dental team. Very personal and special!! I believe they go above and beyond in every area, from the initial first phone call to every detail of explanations, comfort and care!!
Melissa Colianni
2 years ago
My one and only visit with Dr. Cody was one for the books and I wouldn't send my worst enemy to her. She compared my jaw to the dog sitting at the front desk. Told me I needed thousands of dollars worth of work but that I was to a point where it may not actually help me. I left in tears. A dog? Who says that? Went for a second opinion and had the complete opposite experience. They told me I just need gum tissue cleaning and all will be fine. That I have a beautiful mouth/jaw/teeth and nothing to worry about. I'm not having to pay the thousands that this place quoted me. Whew! Thanks to my new dental family, I'm feeling positive about my teeth again.
Andrew Gardner
2 years ago
I went to Lift Dental for a sleep apnea device and the experience was great! It's definitely the nicest dental office I've been to.
Chris Magee
2 years ago
Sara and her staff are pleasant professionals. I highly recommend them
Doug McFarland
2 years ago
Fantastic place to have your Dentistry work done. Dr Cody is fantastic I highly recommend Lift Dental.
Amy Fagnan
2 years ago
I came to Dr. Codys office looking for somewhere comfortable. I, like many, suffer with dental anxiety. I've been to so many places I've almost lost count. Most offering some magical words to make it sound better than it is like "all in one day!" Or I've even had one dentist tell me the process i was intrested in would take over half a year. I found this office by googling denture dentists. (Or maybe implants) They have a comfortable waiting area with soft couches, chairs and even a thing of cute little water bottles. In the corner is an antique dentist chair, facing out towards the window. A little further in sets a pen for a sweet little girl dog named Daisy. That really helped me feel at home. My consultation she asked me what I was looking for and price ranges. She provided me with all the options and prices. From there I told her what i was looking for which was immediate teeth. My smile had seen better days. I had issues taking care of myself as well as being addicted to that sugar/mountain dew. She said that was possible and let me know of what to expect. After i did some budgeting, i went with the denture way right away with possible snap in dentures in the future. They were able to help me through the molding process as i have a bad gag reflux. They have numbing spray which took off the edge for the first impressions. The second impression was a little tougher as it had to be in longer. I did have issues but they got me through it. I was embarrassed because of the gross noise. She said not to worry, shes had way worse. The extraction surgery was also pretty easy. I had the sedation meds before my appointment. Before i knew it i was waking up in bed wondering what happened with only bits and pieces really remembered. My apologies if i said anything weird to the crew. They told me when i was getting in the wheel chair that "that was easy". Guess my anxiety was super low if not gone! When i was able to get up later, i looked in the mirror and almost started to cry. I haven't had teeth that good looking in so long. Even when my teeth were good, they didn't really compare. Now i cant stop smiling! I feel confident again. I wish i had done it sooner! I highly recommend them. It was the best decision and best place to go to feel comfortable, welcome. And who can say no to a cute pup? Give Daisy some pets!
Missy Simon
2 years ago
I can't even find the words to say how wonderful Dr. Cody and her team are. I haven't been to a dentist for a long time due to an awful experience with a creepy male dentist. I am getting married soon, and the thought of my bad teeth in all of my wedding photos was terrifying to me, so much so that I almost didn't hire a photographer. I was so embarrassed by my teeth, and it has been my biggest insecurity for most of my life. I knew that $30,000 (previous quote from past dental office) for veneers was not an option, so I pretty much figured I had no other options. One day I just started googling before and afters of teeth to review how they were done and saw one that had been bonded by their dentist. I then dived into research of bonding and found it to be a far more affordable option but was unsure if it was an option for me. I then googled female dentists in MN and ran across Dr.Cody. I reviewed her work, saw her blogs and realized that not only was she empowering young girls, but she employs all women as well. After my past creepy experience with a male dentist, I was relieved and honestly felt this overpowering relief. I can't really explain it. I saw that on her website that she offered virtual consultations, and I just thought wow this is great, so I submitted one. She called me a day later and really listened to me as I explained my teeth and the insecurities I had from them. She invited me in to do a in person consultation, and a few weeks later I went. At that consultation not only did I walk into the MOST beautiful dental office (with the cutest pup), but I met with a really great dentist. She proceeded to inform me that bonding could work for me as a short-term solution (we plan on doing a deep dive into a forever option later on) to get me through my wedding and have the confidence to smile and have my photos taken on my big day. She then did a mock up of what she could make my smile look like so I could really see, and when I tell you I cried, and I cried HARD I am not lying. My smile was beautiful. She then proceeded to give me a quote, and I was once again overwhelmed with relief. I could afford this. I could do this, and scheduled my next apt before I left that day. Fast forward to last week and all I can say is WOW. My teeth are beautiful. She took gaps and baby teeth and made them into full teeth, she made them damn near perfect. I have truly been in shock over this entire process. She is not only a dentist but a dream maker. I never thought this smile was possible, but it was because of Dr. Cody. She will never truly understand what this means to me. I tear up just writing this. You changed my life, and I can't thank you enough.
Sherrie Goetze
2 years ago
Awesome experience, friendly and felt confident in their knowledge.
Cathy Fish
2 years ago
Dr.Cody and her staff have been wonderful to work with. She and her staff are very caring and kind!
Gregory Smedstad
2 years ago
AMAZING experience! I couldn't be happier with the bridge work! My smile is the best it's been since high school! Dr. Cody is a crazy perfectionist and I look forward to all my future visits :-) Thank you SO much for your attention to detail and the outcome that came with it! Highly recommend!!! Update... Recently I had to have a few teeth extracted. We tried to save a crown, but it wasn't in the cards. We have a good plan moving forward and I finally feel like I am close to my final appearance when I smile or eat (I should have taken better care of my teeth when I was younger). I can't thank you enough!!!
Erika Schwichtenberg
2 years ago
My proceidure was very complex and the team was ready for me, was so good at explaining each step, and kept me so very comfortable throughout the entire process. I can't believe how fluid the proceidures went. The professionalism is extraordinary and the care, kindness and patient experience were exceptional. I'm so grateful!
Bob Ainsbury
2 years ago
Lift Dental are fantastic. The latest equipment, superb space, fantastic and caring team that obviously enjoy what they do. Even if I lived 50 miles away, Lift Dental would be my dentist,
Rollie Mattson
2 years ago
First visit today and was very very impressed with all aspects of care and facility. Whatever the question regarding Lift Dental my answer will always be 5 STAR
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