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.
Samantha – Registered Dental Hygienist
Born and raised in Merrill, Samantha graduated from Merrill High School and went on to earn her associate degree in Dental Hygiene from Northcentral Technical College. She was first drawn to the dental field because of her desire to help people stay healthy and feel good about themselves. When it comes to her approach to providing dental care, she wants patients to know what is recommended but that she isn’t there to “nag” them — she always wants her patients to be healthy and happy with their care. Along with her years of experience and technical skill, Samantha brings to our Merrill Smiles office a very welcoming, helpful, and caring disposition. What she enjoys most about working at our office is getting to see her patients and develop relationships with them as she helps with their dental health. When she isn’t working with our patients, Samantha loves to spend time with her husband and two sons. Some of her favorite activities are gardening, doing home projects, traveling, camping, and creating crafts and art. She and her family are also very involved with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts.
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.
Kelly – Dental Assistant
Kelly joined our team in May of 2019. A native of Antigo, she has worked as a dental assistant for over 20 years. In that time of assisting, she’s undergone extensive training in orthodontics and Invisalign. Along with her wealth of experience, Kelly brings to our office a joy for helping patients in need and seeing them achieve the smiles they’ve always wanted. She loves our patients and serving the Merrill community, and she’s excited to be working as part of an outstanding staff. Outside of the office, Kelly enjoys riding horses, traveling, and spending time with her two children, Maddy and Joey. Fun fact: Kelly is an avid motorcycle rider.
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.
Kaitlyn – Dental Assistant
Having lived in Brockton, Massachusetts, Kaitlyn has called Wausau home for some time. She joined our Merrill Smiles team in the summer of 2024, and she continues going to school to pursue her studies in Dental Hygiene. She was originally drawn to the field of dental care because of her desire to help patients as a dental hygienist. She keeps things simple when it comes to her philosophy of oral health: take care of your teeth. Her skills and knowledge have been a great asset to our practice, and her positive attitude and smiling face are always appreciated by our patients. Her favorite part about working in our office is getting to meet new people. When she isn’t working, Kaitlyn enjoys painting, reading, and traveling. One of her favorite trips was to Australia, where she was able to see kagaroos.
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.
Alissa – Office Administration
Our administrative assistant Alissa was born and raised in Merrill and graduated from Merrill High School. After working in other administrative positions, she joined our office in the summer of 2023 and has been an important part of our success. She understands the importance of patient relations, as well as the value of patient education. She knows that when it comes to the care of your teeth, if you don’t clean them, you’re going to lose them. In addition to her welcoming personality and administrative skills, she makes our office a much more enjoyable place with her wit and top tier potluck planning. What she likes most about working at Merrill Smiles is the fun atmosphere and commitment to our patients’ oral health. Outside the office, Alissa loves spending time with friends and family, especially her two sons and daughter. She enjoys watching her kids’ sporting events, going to concerts, and traveling. One of her favorite trips that she’s taken was to Europe.