Wickersheim joins Waseca Dental Care

By TRISTAN GEHRING

Staff Writer

“I call Waseca my hometown,” says Brett Wickersheim, the newest dentist at Waseca Dental Care. “My parents lived in St. Louis Park when I was born and we moved a couple of times when I was very young, but we landed in Waseca when I was four. This is where I went to school, played sports, made friends and grew up until I went to the Cities for college.”

Wickersheim earned a bachelor degree in biology from the University of Minnesota and then was admitted to the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, where he earned his Doctorate of Dental Surgery (DDS). While in undergraduate studies, Wickersheim met his wife; they were married in 2019. She is currently finishing a master degree program to work as a Marriage and Family Therapist. In 2022 the couple adopted a dog, Maverick. “He has kept us active and on our toes!” Wickersheim says. Wickersheim has recently moved back to his hometown along with his wife, and says they are enjoying the opportunity to rejoin and become part of the community. “I am excited to be back in my hometown, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to serve the dental needs of the community!”

Wickersheim's parents still live in Waseca – his father has been a pastor at Christian Assembly Church for more than twenty years; his mother is closely connected with Waseca Public Schools, having served as a volunteer, paraprofessional, and kindergarten teacher at various times. Wickersheim also has two siblings, a younger brother and older sister. His brother has stayed in Waseca, while his sister is currently living in India where she teaches high school English. 

“I, along with Dr. Thompson, have a wide range of responsibilities,” Wickersheim says, “We do a lot, but we have an incredible group of assistants, hygienists, and a business team that are exceptional at their jobs and make our lives much easier.” 

Wickersheim's day at Waseca Dental Care typically starts with a morning huddle with the whole office. He then spends the day seeing patients. “Some days have a variety of procedures and a large number of patients, and other days we get to spend a lot of time with a few patients working through a big case with them.” He adds that often people are added to the schedule throughout the day for emergency work. “It's nice that while the list of procedures generally stays the same, there ends up being a variety in the patients and schedule which can help keep work from becoming monotonous.” 

To those who are nervous about the dentist, Wickersheim has words of reassurance. “It's really not as bad as TV and movies make it out to be. Dentistry has come a long way and while there are still some things that may be uncomfortable, we do our very best to make sure our patients get taken care of while also having as good an experience as possible.”

Wickersheim first became interested in dentistry in high school. “I was already exploring what a career in dentistry might look like when I had the opportunity to visit the UMN dental school with some family friends who had adopted twins with cleft lips and palates; they went to the school to work with a team that included oral surgeons and speech pathologists.” That experience was the push Wickersheim needed. He reached out to local dentists – including his own at the time, Dr. Thompson – to look for opportunities to “shadow” them in their work. “Every dentist I had the opportunity to spend time with expressed that it was a difficult and demanding job, but very rewarding. They all said they enjoyed what they did and encouraged me in my pursuit.” 

Another factor in Wickersheim's interest in dentistry is the intersection between a career in science and one where he can work with his hands. “There is extensive research and scientific knowledge involved in the practice of dentistry, but there is also a significant hands-on portion with procedures that must be tailored to each individual.” He then adds, “I also enjoy being able to help people, whether that is getting them out of pain or giving them the confidence to smile again. It is very rewarding to serve a community in this capacity.”

Outside of work, Wickersheim has a variety of hobbies. He enjoys outdoor activities in all seasons, including hiking, camping, snowboarding, fishing, and pheasant hunting, as well as tabletop and family games, video games, and reading. “I enjoy spending time with family and friends at sporting events, concerts, or just hanging out,” he says. Something many find surprising is that he owns and rides a motorcycle, which he also enjoys spending time working on. “My college roommates and I took a motorcycle trip up the North Shore to the Canadian border and back a few years ago.” He has also taken on the restoration of an old boat and is working on a number of do-it-yourself projects around his home.

“Dr. Thompson was a young dentist just getting started at Waseca Dental Care when my family moved to town in 2000,” Wickersheim adds. “As a kid I was a patient of hers and always enjoyed going to the dentist because she and the whole team did their best to make the dentist an enjoyable experience. There are several members of the team who I saw as a kid who still work here now. I was able to spend time shadowing in the office during high school and college. It has been a pleasure seeing that come full circle now as I get to be a dentist at the same office I went to as a child. It's fun to think that a future dentist could be a current patient, like I was.”