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Meet Our Team

Dr. Emily Schmalz Periodontist

Dr. Schmalz and family.

Dr. Emily grew up in Fargo, North Dakota where she was raised by hard working parents who passed along a strong work ethic to their daughter. Growing up Emily had a love for sports, reading and enjoying Minnesota lakes. She completed her undergraduate degree at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, in 2005 where she further pursued a career in dentistry at the University of Minnesota. She graduated in 2009 and completed a general practice residency at Hennepin County Medical Center in 2010 and did three additional years of further training at the University of Minnesota in their graduate Periodontal clinic. She completed her training in 2013 and practiced in the Twin Cities for four years before starting her own practice in Rochester. Dr. Emily is also a board-certified periodontist and dental implantologist, which means she has made significant achievements beyond the mandatory education requirements of the specialty. Dr. Emily has made Rochester her home with her husband Brandon and daughters, Cora and Tillie, for the past ten years. She loves both the people of Rochester and the beautiful setting of southern Minnesota. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, yoga, and spending time with her husband, daughters, cats, dogs and hopefully goats someday!

Dr. Emily is also a current member of:

  • American Dental Association
  • Minnesota Dental Association
  • American Academy of Periodontology
  • International Association of Dental Specialists
  • American Academy for Oral & Systemic Health
  • Zumbro Valley Dental Society
  • Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and Dental Implant Surgery (Board Certification)

Dr. Emily loves working with patients and her main goal is to provide them with a caring environment and knowledge of their oral health so they can make a decision that works best for them. It is also her goal to provide the highest quality of treatment in a non-threatening environment.

Non-dental facts about Emily:

  • Emily grew up in Fargo, ND (most of that movie was actually filmed in MN :-)
  • Although not very consistent, Emily has a mean golf swing (contact with the ball is optional)
  • Emily completed 12 years of learning after high school to do what she does today! And she loves it!
  • Why Rochester? Emily loves the “bigger city feel”… Brandon likes the “small city feel” and mostly didn’t want to move to Fargo (due to the movie)
  • Did you know Emily can do Figure skating jumps that you see on TV?!? … She tore her knee at 16, but her dance partner went on to the Vancouver Olympics
  • Emily can out sleep you. Period. And she is lucky that she passed that trait on to her daughters, Cora and Tillie.
  • Emily would like to learn to play the cello, speak French and play tennis
  • If you want to get Emily started talking about football, just say you are an NDSU Bison fan
  • To relax Emily really loves to read, be at a lake and also loves to do pottery on the wheel
  • Emily and Brandon also moved out to “the county” a few years ago… if you want to hear some funny stories just ask her about what her husband calls “Country living…”
  • Emily would also love to run a goat farm one day!

Colleen Patient Coordinator

Colleen, Patient CoordinatorColleen is a long-time resident of Minnesota and has been in the dental field for over 17 years. She is one of the friendly faces that will greet you upon arriving at our office. Colleen has a bubbly and helpful personality and will be sure to put her best foot forward when it comes to your care and treatment at Implant and Periodontal Professionals.

When not busy with treatment planning and managing the front office, she is always running from one place to the other-with her 2 daughters close behind. Never a shortage of hustle and bustle; Colleen also has a small hobby farm with her husband that includes mini donkeys, ponies, horses, dogs, a cat and fish. Her understanding of chaos outside of the office helps to keep everything in check here. I guarantee you she will greet you with a smile and looks forward to helping with your visits.

Amy Communication and Continuing Education Coordinator

Amy, Communication and Continuing Education CoordinatorAmy joined Dr. Emily’s team in July 2022 as the Communication & Continuing Education Coordinator. She has enjoyed working nearly 30 years in healthcare – and within the dental community since early 2018. Amy loves learning every day and working with both the amazing team at IPP and the wonderful patients who entrust Dr. Emily to care for them.

Amy’s a small-town South Dakota girl (born and raised) and moved to the Rochester area nearly 20 years ago. She holds degrees in education, business administration and strategic leadership and is a business instructor for Dakota Wesleyan University (a private university in Mitchell, SD). When she’s not working, she likes to ice fish, is a novice garlic farmer and grows crazy-hot peppers. She enjoys traveling with her husband and likes to play in the dirt at his family farm in Iowa and spend time with her family (often at the baseball field) in South Dakota. Amy’s an avid Green Bay Packer fan (yes, in the heart of Vikings country!) and loves going to Lambeau for a game or two each winter. Go, Pack!

Ruth Registered Dental Hygienist

Ruth, Registered Dental Hygienist Ruth is one of our registered dental hygienists. Ruth is originally from Eugene, OR, which is where she completed her dental hygiene degree. She moved to Byron, MN 30 years ago when she married her husband Paul. They have 4 adult children, and she stays busy keeping up with them. Ruth has been a hygienist for over 30 years, and has been at Dr. Emily's office for the past 5 years. In her spare time, Ruth enjoys reading, traveling, going to concerts, tending to her flowers, and visiting her kids. 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.

Brittany Registered Dental Hygienist

Brittany, Registered Dental Hygienist Brittany joined IPP in June 2022 as our full time dental hygienist. She graduated from the dental hygiene program at Rochester Community and Technical College in 2011 and has spent most of her career in the periodontal specialty. Brittany greatly enjoys educating patients on their oral health and teaching them about new home care habits or informing them on the oral-systemic link. The relationships she has built with patients simply by helping them improve their oral and overall health makes Brittany love the career path she chose.

Outside of the office, Brittany and her fiancé, David are busy with three children, McKenna, Elynn, Arlo and their not so mini golden doodle, Tucker. One of her favorite hobbies is baking and is best known for her monster cookies and pumpkin pie. Brittany enjoys spending time and creating memories with her large immediate family and close friends and is always trying to plan their next get together or adventure.

Andrea Licensed Dental Assistant

Andrea, Licensed Dental Assistant Andrea graduated from Dakota County Technical College in 2014 with a degree in dental assisting. She joined our team in 2017 and has enjoyed working in Periodontics and loves the variety it brings. What led her to the dental field was the interaction with patients and helping to make it a comfortable experience for them. Her calming demeanor will make you feel right at ease.

Outside of the office, she enjoys traveling, golfing, boating, spending time with family and loves being an Aunt!

Nicole Licensed Dental Assistant

Nicole, Licensed Dental AssistantNicole graduated from the assisting program at Rochester Community and Technical College in 2011 with her degree for licensed and certified dental assisting. She has been in the dental field since and loves to be challenged with new procedures while using the most innovative technology. We are excited to have her as part of our dental team; we cannot wait for you to meet her.

Non-dental facts about Nicole:

  • Nicole attended college at Winona State also obtaining her degree in Cell and Molecular Biology in 2017.
  • She loves being outdoors and hiking to new places. This would explain her passion for traveling; she cannot wait to see more of the world. Nicole will pack her bags and head out at the first sign of adventure!
  • When downtime allows you can find her on a lake or relaxing at their cabin. This is one of her favorite places to go with her family.
  • Nicole is a sports fanatic! It appears she is always heading to swimming, hockey, golf, or baseball with her son Kaison. However, she will sneak in time to root for her own teams when time allows! Nicole also plays on a co-ed softball team through the summer and into the fall.

Christy Licensed Surgical Assistant

Christy, Licensed Surgical AssistantChristy joined our team in March 2021 as one of our surgical assistants. With 28 years of experience in the dental field, 23 of which have been focused on perio, she has developed a deep passion for patient care. She understands that dental procedures can be stressful for many individuals, and Christy strives to provide comfort and support throughout the process.

Outside of work, Christy and her husband, Michael reside in Wanamingo. Together, they have three adult children named Jake, Madisyn and Luke who still find ways to remind their parents of their reliance on them. Alongside her husband’s full-time work in agriculture, they also manage a hobby farm with cows on their land. During her free time, Christy enjoys visiting their cabin, where you’ll often find her on a boat, trying to catch some fish or rays! Additionally, she’s an avid fan of college sports, particularly cheering for the Nebraska Huskers. Go Big red!