Meet Our Team

Dr. Schmalz 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. Schmalz is also a board certified periodontist, which means she has made significant achievements beyond the mandatory education requirements of the specialty. Dr. Schmalz has made Rochester her home with her husband Dr. Brandon Kelly and daughter, Cora for the past seven 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, daughter and dog Lola.

Dr. Schmalz is also a current member of:

• American Dental Association
• Minnesota Dental Association
• American Academy of Periodontology
• Zumbro Valley Dental Society
• Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology (Board Certification)

Dr. Schmalz 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!
• Tennis? Yes, she loves watching it and even has a secret crush on Roger Federer
• 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 daughter, Cora.
• 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

Hi, my name is Colleen. I’m the patient coordinator for Dr. Emily and the first friendly face you’ll see when arriving at the office. I truly enjoy my career and the relationship that I form with each patient. The dental field is my passion and I love our smaller office that truly cares about every patient that comes in the door. I am currently going on 14 years in the field with many more to come.

When I’m not working, you may find me working in some of the fields around my house. We have a small funny farm that keeps me very busy. Starting with just one dog; we now have 7 horses – 2 of which I show in Dressage, 3 dogs, a cat, pond and tank of fish, and most recently a bunny. Animals bring me tons of happiness; unable to have them at home as a child, I’m just making up for lost time. :-)

Besides the abundance of animals, we also have 2 young daughters. If I thought our hobby farm kept me busy; boy was I mistaken. I never thought my heart would be so full raising these spunky fun-loving girls. Always on the go; they keep me running to grandparents, swimming, riding lessons, and play dates with lovely friends. I couldn’t ask for more.

I look forward to meeting you at your upcoming appointment with Dr. Schmalz. My promise is to always put my best foot forward along with our whole staff when it comes to your periodontal and implant care.

Hi, my name is Tammy, and I recently joined the IPP team as the Communication and Continuing Education Coordinator. I have been in the dental community for the last twenty years, primarily in the general practice setting, after attending the dental assistant program at Rochester Community and Technical College. In that time, I have developed a true love of dentistry and enjoy building and maintaining relationships that I have built during my career.

Outside of the office, my husband and I have two girls: Hadley and Elliett. Their activities keep me the busiest, but we also enjoy outdoor activities such as walking our dog Jasper, hiking, and boating. We love all sports; you will find us in the stands of many hometown football, volleyball, basketball, softball, and baseball games, cheering on our Knights.

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.

Laura was raised in South Dakota but has lived in Minnesota since achieving her bachelor's degree in Dental Hygiene at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Upon completion of her bachelor's degree, Laura subsequently earned her Master's degree in Dental Hygiene Education from the University of Minnesota as well. While she was in graduate school, Laura focused her thesis research on risk factors associated with dental implant failures. Laura is passionate about educating patients on the oral-systemic link and remains committed to improving their overall health. One of her favorite aspects of dentistry is the relationships that are created through preventative care and she looks forward to meeting you at your next visit!

When Laura is not spending time with patients, some of her favorite activities to enjoy are traveling, running, golfing, watching football, going to the lake, and hanging out with her husband, 3 daughters and her pup, Gracey!

Andrea graduated from Dakota County Technical College in 2014 with a degree in licensed and certified dental assisting. What led her to the dental field was the interaction with patients and helping to make it a comfortable experience for them. Outside of the office, she enjoys traveling to different places in the winter, golfing, boating, and spending time with family and friends.

Nicole is our newest dental assistant. She fits in so well with the team that it feels she’s been here forever!

Nicole 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.