Meet Our Team
Drew Bertelson, DDS
Dr. Drew Bertelson is originally from Milwaukee. After his family moved to Minnesota, he went on to graduate with honors from Sartell High School in Sartell, MN, a small city northwest of St. Cloud. He earned his Bachelor of Science with a major in Biology and minor in Public Health from the University of Minnesota, where he continued on to earn his DDS four years later. What made Dr. Drew want to enter dentistry was the opportunity to use his mind and his hands to solve difficult problems for good people. His overall approach or philosophy of care is to prevent problems before they happen, educate patients, and treat each of them how he would treat his own family. Dr. Bertelson brings leadership, clinical assertiveness, and the most up-to-date preventative practices to our office, providing our community with the highest level of dental care in a relaxed and responsive atmosphere. What he enjoys most about working here at Merrill Smiles is the fact that our team gets along so well, and our synergy makes a significant difference for our patients’ experience here.
When Dr. Drew isn’t working with our patients, he enjoys time with his family — especially his younger and his older brother, who are also his best friends. He points out that they more or less have had to be, what with a family that’s moved around as much as his has: from Milwaukee to Menomonie and eventually to the St. Cloud area. Actually, he lived in Minneapolis during his college schooling longer than he’d lived anywhere in his life. Dr. Drew is a BIG fisherman, and that’s part of what brought him to Merrill. Some other activities he enjoys are lake days, fitness, and camping.
Jamie – Registered Dental Hygienist
A native of Merrill, Jamie earned her degree in Dental Hygiene from Northcentral Technical College and has worked as a hygienist for over 15 years. She joined our team in January of 2022. Jamie always knew she wanted to work in the healthcare field, and her love of teeth made dental hygiene a natural choice. When it comes to her approach to dental care, Jamie’s goal is to make the patient feel as comfortable as possible while helping them improve their smile and their overall health in the process. In addition to her skills and years of experience, she brings to our office a love for working with people and supporting her coworkers. Outside of work, Jamie loves spending time with her husband, Rick, and their young daughter and son. Some of her favorite activities include watching her children play sports (wrestling, baseball, softball, and dance), spending time at their cabin, and going hunting with their many hound dogs. Jamie’s family also keeps busy running their own bear bait business.
Megan – Registered Dental Hygienist
Born and raised here in Merrill, Megan graduated from Merrill High School and continued her studies at Concordia University Wisconsin, where she majored in music education. She then went on to earn her degree in Dental Hygiene from Northcentral Technical College. Megan’s decision to enter the dental field was because she wanted a career that is gratifying and allowed her to help people feel better about themselves as a whole when they come to have their teeth cleaned. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and educating as a hygienist — not “preaching” or “scolding.” She likes to “meet patients where they are”: one example is when she had a patient come in after over 10 years without a cleaning, and instead of belittling him, she congratulated him on making that first step on the path to oral health. Some of the things she enjoys most about our office is that it’s busy but never rushed, allowing her to spend as much time as needed with each individual patient. Outside of work, Megan loves to be with her husband and their four children, who keep them busy with their active schedules. As a family, they enjoy exploring the Northwoods, either off-roading, camping, or boating. They love bluegrass festivals, playing Sheepshead, and cheering on the Packers. Fun fact about Megan: she’s left-handed.
James – Registered Dental Hygienist
James joined our team as a Dental Hygienist in August 2025. A Merrill Wisconsin native, he graduated from Merrill High School in 2019 and earned his degree in Dental Hygiene from North Central Technical College in 2023.
James was introduced to the dental field through a family connection and quickly discovered it was the right fit for him. He enjoys building relationships with patients and values creating a calm relaxed environment during each visit. His approach to care focuses on easing anxiety and helping patients feel at ease throughout their appointment.
Known for his calm demeanor, sense of humor and strong commitment to patient care, James contributes positivity to both patient experience and the team dynamic. He appreciates working in a supportive, fun environment where everyone is easy to collaborate with.
Outside of the office, James enjoys golfing and playing hockey. He also coaches a youth boys hockey team, sharing his passion for the sport and mentoring young athletes in the community.
Alexandra – Registered Dental Hygienist
Alex became a part of our Wausau Smiles team in the summer of 2024. Though she was born in Wuhan, Hubei, China, she considers Merrill, Wisconsin her hometown. After graduating from Merrill High School, she continued her education at Northcentral Technical College to earn her associate degree in Dental Hygiene. What drew her to this profession is her enjoyment of one-on-one patient care. Dentistry was a way for her to have a direct impact on patients’ lives. She wants to be able to provide high level care and build relationships with those in need. Her goal is always to provide her patients with comfort and confidence in their smiles. It’s important for her to build that trust with the patient because she knows it can lead to better oral health outcomes. She believes staying patient-centered is crucial. Alex is very patient and compassionate with others in our practice, as well as with our patients. She always tries to go above standard of care because her patients deserve the very best professional treatment. What she enjoys most about working in our office is that we really care about our patients and want the very best for them. She appreciates when her coworkers are always willing to help her out and finds our team truly amazing.
Alex is an only child and — when she isn’t helping our patients — enjoys spending time with her parents and her dog, Max. Her favorite hobbies are paddle-boarding, camping, going to coffee shops, spending time with friends, and playing pickleball and tennis. An interesting fact about her is that she’s lived in five very different places in her life: China, Kentucky, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Joan – Dental Assistant
Joan is from Antigo, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school, she studied Expanded Duties of Dental Auxiliary Personnel at Gainesville University in Florida. After a number of years working as a dental professional, she joined our office in the spring of 2022. The thing that motivated Joan to join the dental field was her desire to work one-on-one with people and help improve their lives. Joan brings to our office not only a great deal of experience, but also a welcoming and positive attitude and willingness to help out her teammates. What she enjoys most about working at our Merrill Smiles office is working with patients and alongside other wonderful dental professionals. Joan is married and enjoys spending time with her family, including her four grandchildren. One of her favorite activities is working in her flower garden.
Miranda – Dental Assistant
Miranda is passionate about making every patient’s smile shine. When she’s not helping patients at Merrill Smiles, you can find her enjoying tacos, hunting for great finds while thrift shopping or cheering on her favorite team, the Green Bay Packers. She loves the color pink and relaxing with a good movie, especially Just Go With It.
Shanna – Dental Assistant
Carly – Dental Assistant
Michelle – Office Administration
Michelle is one of the smiling faces who will greet you when you first enter our office. She joined our administrative team in the summer of 2023 and has a positive impact on our whole office ever since. She is originally from Madison, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school, she attended college for a time and has extensive experience working in an administrative and support role. Along with her experience, she brings to our office excellent organizational and interpersonal skills. She is always there for our patients and her teammates. Outside of the office, Michelle enjoys spending time with her family, especially her husband and daughter. Some of her favorite activities are hiking, kayaking, and painting. She always enjoys traveling and has spent a year living in Korea.