Dr. Colin Maguire

Dr. Colin has learned so much from golf, a sport he’s played since he was four years old. He enjoys being outside, the uniqueness of each course and the different challenges and opportunities each hole presents.

“I love that you have to read a hole and pick an appropriate play,” Dr. Colin says. “That plays into my job: Reading the situation and being able to adapt based on a patient’s needs and concerns.”

As a dentist, Dr. Colin meets lots of new, young patients who are nervous.

“It’s great to provide an experience that is hopefully positive and life-changing to a patient population that you can really impact,” Dr. Colin says. “I want to help each kid through whatever they need and have them high five me at the end so they don’t have to be scared to go to the dentist.”

More about Dr. Colin

Do you have any children? I have two awesome boys named Ben and Will. They always keep life interesting for us!

What are some of your hobbies? I enjoy golfing, being out on the lake, wakeboarding, wake surfing, and I wished I fished more. In the winter, I downhill ski.

What superpower do you wish you had? Teleporting because you could just be wherever you wanted! I’d put myself on the first tee at the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland.

What is one of your actual superpowers? Being able to make a cookie disappear!

Favorite fluoride flavor? Walterberry! 

Characteristic you admire in people? Humor. The ability to smile and laugh, and keep the mood light is important to me. That’s what gets you through the good times and bad times.

Dr. Amelia Leuer

Dr. Amelia comes from a farming family, and horses were a fixture throughout her childhood. She first appeared in a horse show when she was three years old and started riding Patrick, her own shetland pony, when she was seven.

“We always had ponies around,” Dr. Amelia says. “My first memory of having any responsibility was cleaning his stall and feeding him.”

After school, she cleaned and groomed horses prior to spending at least forty-five minutes riding. On weekends, she participates in equestrian and horse showings, winning her share of local and regional titles.

“It takes a lot of compassion and empathy to care for a horse,” Dr. Amelia says. “Your horse cannot verbalize experiences of discomfort or distress to you. You have to really be in tune to that.”

Dr. Amelia says those characteristics serve her well as a pediatric dentist.

“When kids are really young,” she says, “they don’t possess the communication skills adults do.”

Dr. Amelia is grateful for the special relationships she developed with her horses, including Snooky 1 and Snooky 2. These horses appeared similar; however, they were different in many ways.

“Most people couldn’t tell them apart,” Dr. Amelia says. “I could. They are both so sweet and loving.”

Although she won most of her awards with Snooky 2, Dr. Amelia still learned a lot riding Snooky 1 on trail rides at Cross Hassan Park Reserve. Snooky 2 enjoyed being pampered, preferred being inside, and did not like to get dirty.

“[Snooky 2]’s kind of a diva!” Dr. Amelia says.

More about Dr. Amelia

If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I love spending time with my family. I would probably want to spend the day with them and take our motor home camping where we could hike, bike, grill, play games, boat on a lake, and sit around a bonfire.

What superpower do you wish you had? I always thought it would be so fun to talk to animals!

What is one of your actual superpowers? I love to sing, and I know the words to many of the Disney princess songs.

What is your favorite snack? Oreo cookies

Why do you love your job? Being a pediatric dentist is the best job in the world! It is a remarkable privilege to care for the dental health of children and patients with special health care needs. Every day incorporates fun, challenge, and a unique set of skills to guide children through the dental experience. I feel so blessed to be entrusted with this role and form relationships with children and their families to help promote healthy smiles that will last a lifetime.

What is your favorite cartoon or animated movie? Beauty and the Beast

Dr. Dwight Anderson

Dr. Dwight grew up in Hankinson, North Dakota, a farming town with fewer than 1,000 people. As his friends started careers all over, they wanted to maintain their relationships and started a tradition. They would connect every year on a snowboarding trip.

“A couple of them had snowboarded a few times, but none of us had a lot of experience,” Dr. Dwight says. “It was a struggle right away.” Their first trip was to Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana, and subsequent trips were in Utah and throughout Colorado.

“These trips are so much fun, and exactly what we wanted it to be,” Dr. Dwight says. “Sometimes our significant others come, too.” This year, they’re scheduled to go to Jackson Hole in Wyoming. They hope someday to travel abroad, to Banff and to Whistler in Canada.

Dr. Dwight appreciates his childhood growing up on his father’s corn and soybean farm. Being the youngest, Dr. Dwight’s older brothers had the greatest responsibilities on the farm; besides, he was drawn to health and science.

“Farming was okay to me and could pay the bills,” Dr. Dwight says. “It was more of a job than a passion. I wanted to roll out of bed and love what I did.”

That’s what he experiences now, as an orthodontist. In fact, he can thank Dr. Amelia for getting him connected with Camp Smile. Dr. Amelia, a year ahead of him at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, asked him what his post-graduation plans were.

“I’m not exactly sure,” he told her. “She said, ‘Well, at Camp Smile, we’re thinking of adding an orthodontist. Would that interest you?'”

Dr. Dwight then met Camp Smile’s doctors and the team. “We all got along and we joked around on day-to-day things,” he says. “I really enjoy working with kids, and our doctors and team have the same thought process when it comes to caring for patients.”

More about Dr. Dwight

What superpower do you wish you had? Thor is my favorite superhero, so I’ve always wanted the strength to use his hammer!

What is one of your actual superpowers? The ability to find the silver lining in any situation.

What is your favorite snack? Anything peanut butter flavored!

If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would find the closest body of water that provided weather in the mid-80s (and a light breeze), invite all my friends and family, and incorporate plenty of good music!

Why do you love your job? There are so many things I love about being an orthodontist that it’s hard to even know where to start! I love the problem-solving ability and mental gymnastics required to develop the most accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. I love the attention to detail required from my eyes and the accuracy demanded from my hands. I love having the opportunity to get to know a person (and usually family members) throughout their orthodontic journey. I love how rewarding it is that when all of this is combined, I have the opportunity to provide others with a more confident, happier, and healthier smile!

Favorite fluoride flavor? If Peanut Butter is not an option, then I will go with Bubble Gum.

What is your favorite cartoon or animated movie? Ice Age, Hercules or Mulan. Please don’t make me pick.

Dr. Alison Seamans

Dr. Alison’s fondest childhood memories were spent with her family traveling and camping at state parks throughout Minnesota. They would explore, hike, swim, sing around a bonfire at night while her father played his guitar, and enjoy plenty of S’mores.

Dr. Alison grew up around lakes and her fiancé Mike grew up in the mountains, so they share a passion for the outdoors; so, it makes sense that one of their first investments together was a truck camper. They use it most weekends during the summer and always plan one long trip per year.

The two have visited Zion National Park in Utah, Olympic and Mt. Rainier in Washington, and they were engaged at Glacier National Park in Montana. They even planned to get married at Grand Teton National Park in August 2020, but due to COVID-19, they delayed their wedding plans to 2021.

“My goal is to see all of the national parks,” Dr. Alison says.

While her father inspired her love for nature, Dr. Alison’s mother, a special education teacher at Minnetonka High School for about 30 years, influenced her career path.

“I have been around children with special health care needs my entire life,” says Dr. Alison, who had worked as a personal care attendant for a child with autism before college. “I realized I had a desire to treat and work with each child individually in order to meet their unique needs. I have the privilege to help shape their dental experience into a great one!” Dr. Alison says. “I feel so lucky to be able to do the work I do and have fun doing it!”

More about Dr. Alison

What superpower do you wish you had? Teleportation. There’s so much to see in this world and not enough time!

What is one of your actual superpowers? I can read a good book, cover to cover, in one sitting! I’m not a speed reader, but when I get into a good novel, I can’t put it down.

If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? With my family in our camper, exploring a new and exciting location or returning to an old favorite! One of our favorite spots is Gold Bluffs Beach in California.

What is your favorite snack? A cheese board, with some soft and hard cheese. Definitely some carbs, like crackers or baguette. Instead of meat, I like fruits, or figs.

Favorite fluoride flavor? Classic Mint!

What is your favorite cartoon or animated movie? Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Dr. Brittany Granoski

Many people are proud of where they’re from.

But Dr. Brittany’s passion for Canada runs deep — and wide.

“I loved growing up in Canada, and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to live in so many different parts of the beautiful country,” Dr. Brittany says. “I’ve had the opportunity to experience many of the different landscapes and cultures Canada has to offer, from the Rocky Mountains to the prairies, and both coasts. Every part of Canada is unique.”

Dr. Brittany grew up in Alberta, and she spent parts of several summers in British Columbia. She went to dental school in Saskatchewan, and then a residency in Nova Scotia.

So did she keep moving to different parts of the Canada on purpose?

“That’s a good question,” she says. “But it just ended up being by chance, and then I really loved getting to move and see different parts of Canada and having these different experiences.”

In her family, Dr. Brittany is the exception. Most of her family lives in St. Albert, a city northwest of Edmonton. Growing up, she grew to love skiing, snowboarding, skating, hiking and riding bikes.

Each move, though, inspired her to keep exploring and traveling.

“I had this realization, ‘Oh, I can go anywhere and do anything I want to!’ “

Like do an internship one summer in Sri Lanka, go travelling overseas, and move internationally to the USA.

But in her beloved Canada, Dr. Brittany appreciates something special.

“What Canadians from all parts have in common,” she says, “is that they are kind, generous, welcoming and supportive.”

That has served her well throughout her career, helping her connect with patients and their families.

More about Dr. Brittany

What superpower do you wish you had? I wish I could slow down time. I am so lucky to live the life I do and sometimes wish I could slow it down to soak it all in more. It would also help to have more time when I procrastinate. There’s so much to see in this world, and not enough time!

What is one of your actual superpowers? I make the best paper airplanes. In high school, my part-time job was at a gym, working in a play care center, and I found myself making a lot of paper airplanes. I did it all the time.

If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I would be out of the house, outdoors, spending time with friends and family.

What is your favorite snack? Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Pretzels!

What is your favorite cartoon or animated movie? Monsters, Inc.

Dr. Brian Spencer

Dr. Brian is originally from the state of Montana! While growing up, he loved to enjoy all the outdoor activities the state had to offer, but his favorite by far was skiing. He first strapped into skis when he was just two years old!

“There was a little backpack harness that was put around me, and then my dad would secure the straps to his waist and help me meander down the slopes,” Dr. Brian says. “My parents laugh and tell stories about it because we’d probably get like one or two runs in, and then it’d be time to go warm up.”

Dr. Brian grew up in a town called Great Falls, and his family spent a lot of time at Showdown, an alpine ski area in the Little Belt Mountains, about an hour from their home. He frequently took lessons there, especially from age 5 to 12.

“Skiing is the best of both worlds,” he says. “for me, it’s kind of a way to enjoy a really fast, active sport, that has a little less chance of injury. Falling into powder is like falling into a big fluffy pillow!”

Dr. Brian says he has a lot of fond childhood memories on and around the slopes, including hot tubbing afterwards and playing board games with friends and family at night.

Dr. Brian says Snowbird in Utah and Jackson Hole in Wyoming are among his favorite ski resorts — outside of Montana, of course. For Dr. Brian, nothing beats skiing fresh powder, especially if you’re able to catch it on a sunny day.

How much does he love skiing?

In college, he scheduled all his classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so he could ski Bridger Bowl in Montana five days a week.

Dr. Brian is thankful to join Camp Smile, and eager to engage and contribute to the surrounding community. He’s looking forward to new friendships and experiences in the Twin Cities.

“It’s a big, new chapter in my life,” Dr. Brian says, “and I’m excited.”

More about Dr. Brian

What superpower do you wish you had? This is a good one! I think I’d have to say the ability to fly. As someone who likes to travel, it would be so nice to be able to just go wherever you want, whenever you want to!

What is one of your actual superpowers? I’m a pretty good wakeboarder and can still do some flips, although it takes me a little longer to recover these days.

If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? I’d love to spend the whole day with close friends and family, exploring the Great Barrier Reef and hopefully run into a couple turtles, my favorite animal.

What is your favorite snack? Cheez-Its. Only the original, obviously.

Why do you love your job? A lot can be said about a smile. It’s one of the first things people recognize about you, and It’s something that can bring a whole new dimension of confidence and self-esteem to your life. As an Orthodontist, I get to help people achieve this everyday! I love being able to put a smile on patients’ faces!

Favorite fluoride flavor? Bubblegum, if that’s still even a thing.

What is your favorite cartoon or animated movie? I’m a low-key Harry Potter nerd. If I had to pick one of the movies though, it’d probably be Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire!

Dr. Mary Tran-Wexler

Dr. Mary has always loved to challenge her mind. In elementary school, she was drawn to wooden puzzles, especially navigating tricky parts and the exhilarating feeling after completing the puzzle.

“Just the trial and error, and figuring out where things go,” she says, “and the accomplished feeling at the end.”

Dr. Mary admits to having a tenacious personality, so she’s bothered when she can’t complete something. In high school, a friend helped her recognize different combinations to solve a Rubik’s Cube, and she would try different brain teasers.

Even as life became very busy, her interest in puzzles and brain teasers persisted. Through college, dental school, and multiple residencies she was still doing puzzles, and after passing her board examination, Dr. Mary celebrated with a puzzle.

“I went to the dining table to do that instead of something — I don’t know — productive because it had been so busy,” Dr. Mary says. “So it was nice to sit down and work on a puzzle.”

Her mother-in-law had some puzzles for Dr. Mary, but a 1,000 piece Kodak one (depicting a colorful European town) was among the most challenging.

The colors and lines were very challenging, but Dr. Mary explained.

“If I open one and start one,” she says, “I can’t not finish it!”

Dr. Mary says that persistence is a core part of why she likes dentistry.

“I very much appreciate the end result,” she says, “like getting the kid through the appointment and having nice, healthy teeth, and working with them through the different appointments.”

More about Dr. Mary

What is one of your actual superpowers? My voice. My daughter isn’t playing any sports yet, but she will be able to hear me!

If you had a free day to do anything, how would you spend it? Picnic in a park with family and lots of friends, and really good food. Maybe some lawn games, some board games, some music. But mostly hanging out.

What is your favorite snack? Crunchy, salty snacks, so I love chips.

Why do you love your job? Kids are so fun!

What is your favorite cartoon or animated movie? Trolls World Tour. It’s so good! You have to check it out.