Dr. Kelly was born and raised in Mankato, MN, where he grew up with three sisters. He did his fair share of playing sports and passing off chores to his younger sisters. For his education Dr. Kelly completed his undergraduate degree at University of Minnesota Duluth in 2005 and then went on to the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, where he graduated in 2009. Dr. Kelly has made Rochester his home for the past decade plus. For fun in his spare time Dr. Kelly likes hunting and fishing, especially fishing. To get Dr. Kelly talking just chat with him about muskie fishing and you will be talking for hours about weather, lures and the position of the moon. He also likes to spend time with his wife, Emily, their daughter, and their dog Lola.

Ruth is our registered dental hygienist. Ruth is originally from Eugene, OR but moved to Byron, MN some 30 years ago when she married her husband Paul. They have 4 kids, 3 of which are University of Minnesota graduates, two with DDS degrees. Go Gophers! Ruth has been a hygienist for over three decades. In her spare time, Ruth enjoys reading, traveling, going to concerts, tending to her flowers. She will never pass up an invitation for coffee or a fun night out. Ruth loves chatting with her patients about their oral health but also loves forming connections with them as she gets to see them several times a year.

A bridge may be recommended if one or more teeth are missing. They span the space where the teeth are missing. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space. These teeth, called abutments, serve as anchors for the bridge. A replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to the crowns that cover the abutments.

If youve lost your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay or injury, replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance, function and your health. People often take for granted the ability to eat and speak. Dentures can restore what is lost when teeth are missing. Dentures are removable appliances that can be used to partially or fully replace teeth. There are a few options you may have when it comes to dentures:

A filling is a way to restore a tooth damaged by decay back to its normal function and shape. Active tooth decay is treated by removing the decayed portion of the tooth, the affected area is cleaned, and the cleaned out cavity is then filled with a white or composite filling material. The filling is also bonded to the tooth to strengthen the tooth.

Preventive dentistry is the practice of caring for your teeth to keep them healthy. This helps to avoid cavities, gum disease, enamel wear, and more. When it comes to Dr. Kelly and his team, you can expect the following things at your dental visits:

A dental hygienist will remove bacteria that builds up along and below the gum line to remove the plaque and tartar that can cause gum disease, cavities, bad breath and other problems. Then he or she will polish and floss your teeth.

Children are some of our favorite patients! We will take special care to make sure that every visit to our office is positive. We recommend early exposure to the dental office because it alleviates unnecessary future anxiety about the unknown and allows us to establish a positive relationship for the future.

Dr. Kelly recommends parents follow the first visit by the first birthday rule when answering the common question, When should my childs first dental visit occur? It is very important to instill great dental habits for children at a young age, which include home care and periodic dental visits.

Teeth whitening can be of great benefit in improving the esthetics of your smile. Whitening products contain one of two tooth bleaches (hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide). These bleaches break down stains into smaller pieces, which makes the color less concentrated and your teeth a brighter white.

Peroxide-containing whiteners actually bleach the tooth enamel. They typically come in a gel and are placed in a tray that fits on your teeth. Dr. Kelly can custom make trays to be used whenever is convenient for you, and will make sure that you properly understand how to use whitening trays at home safely.

A variety of procedures require that impressions of the teeth be taken. Traditional impression techniques include sticky material placed on a tray that can be quite uncomfortable. Thanks to technological advances in the dental field, Dr. Kelly is now able to take impressions digitally. This removes the goop and difficulty that traditional impressions require.

Root Canal therapy is necessary when the health of a tooth is in jeopardy, specifically the pulp of the tooth. For a variety of reasons, pulp can become infected and the solution to this infection is removal of that pulp. The nerve tissue and blood vessels are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned. The decontaminated canals are then filled with a filling material. This process restores the tooth and protects it from future infection.

If your tooth becomes sensitive to hot or cold food or beverages or hurts when you bite down, it may mean that the nerve within the tooth is unhealthy. Another sign of concern is discoloration of the tooth or swelling of the gum surrounding the infected tooth. In some cases, a tooth will have no symptoms, but a dental exam and x-ray will reveal a tooth that requires root canal.

More than 50 percent of Americans over 35 have some form of gum (periodontal) disease. In its earliest stage, your gums might swell and bleed easily. At its worst, gum disease can lead to tooth loss. Your first line of defense against gum disease is consistent at home care and regular dental visits. Dr. Kelly may be the first to notify you that there is a concern and will recommend what type of treatment is best this may include a referral to a specialist.

Though a referral may take place, a joint effort between Dr. Kelly and the specialist will take place. Even if treatment is recommended and completed with a periodontist, Dr. Kelly will see you for regular care following that recommendation and treatment.

Dental implants are used to replace a single tooth or multiple missing teeth and can also be used to help stabilize your current or a new denture. Implants can be placed with local anesthetic during a relatively short procedure that will not affect adjacent teeth. They are fabricated using titanium and are placed where the roots of your teeth normally reside. Following the removal of the tooth, the implant is placed. After a healing phase where the implant integrates with your body, Dr. Kelly can place a crown that will match other teeth aesthetically and be solid and sound for use like natural teeth.

The process will involve a surgeon and Dr. Kellys expertise. You will be fully informed of all parts of the process prior to deciding to pursue treatment and will also be given other options that may be available for you to choose.

Are you unhappy with the look of your smile? Do you want to correct dental misalignment but do not want to deal with metal braces? Then Clear Correct clear braces may be a solution for you! Dr. Kelly is a certified provider for Clear Correct, and is happy to assess your situation and provide options for you. Clear Correct provides a discreet option to straighten teeth and achieve the smile youre wanting.

Dr. Wadkins completed undergraduate training as an engineer (BSEE) at the University of Idaho. He has extensive hardware and computer architecture design experience with IBM, along with a couple of years of programming (C++). He also spent 4 years as an IBM Development Manager, working on large hardware and software projects. He then completed his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree at the University of Minnesota. His post doctoral training includes many small detail courses, along with the specialty areas of patient sedation (Mn License CS048) and graduation from the Misch Implant Institute. Dr. Wadkins is one of very few doctors in the world who can both surgically place implants, restore them, and provide advanced surgical skills such as bone grafting. More and more, it is obvious that the extensive engineering experience is invaluable in dental implant and restorative procedures.

Outside of dentistry, Dr. Wadkins has extensive interests, including amateur radio (WB7PW), a CNC and metal hobby, scuba diving, and flying - currently in an Evolution. He used to referee over 100 soccer games per year, with a few professional level games to his credit (PDL division of the USL - not MLS).

Dr. Wadkins has been married 40 years to Pat (BSChE) who has spent her career working on disk drives with IBM/Hitachi/WD. She also holds an active Minnesota real estate brokers license and enjoys cooking classes and gardening (flowers!). They have two sons; Thomas who graduated from the University of Cincinnati (BS & MS Arch) and David who graduated from the University of Iowa (BS BioChem, MS BioMedEngr).

Lesa is our new dental assistant, with a background in childrens services. Along with her duties as the lead assistant to Dr. Wadkins, she is responsible for managing the office supplies and equipment maintenance. She has two young childern, and seems to take an inordinate interest in youth hockey.

Ellen has been the office manager for nearly a decade, after working at Russel Stover for 11 years. She received her BA degree in Sociology and Fine Arts at St. Norbert College in Wisconsin. She and her husband (Mayo Clinic Flight RN) have two teenagers, and she enjoys (what little time she has left) working with the chickens and blueberries on their hobby farm. She still finds time to work with art, along with running the kids everywhere.

Our newest, yet actually not new to us, hygienist is Ana. A 2011 RCTC grad, with business and banking experience too (you might see her working front desk for Dr. Kelly also). Much to her husband's dismay, all of her attention now seems to be towards her young son. In her spare time - right, she has a youngster...