Meet Our Staff
We would like to invite you to take a few minutes to meet and get to know our wonderful staff. Years and years of combined experience have been so valuable in helping meet the needs of all of our patients.
Kelly
Hygienist / Financial Coordinator
Kelly and Dr. Bender met at the University of Minnesota in 1990. She graduated in 1993 with her bachelor's degree in dental hygiene. Kelly started working at Bender Family Dentistry in 1993. She has been off and on over the years and is now full-time at the office. Kelly is a hygienist two days a week and a financial coordinator 3 days a week. Kelly and Dr. Bender have three beautiful daughters, Taylor, Peyton, and Reese. They also have a golden retriever named Journey. Kelly enjoys spending time with her family, being at the lake, going for walks, gardening, and cooking.
Wendy
Receptionist
Wendy is originally from Iowa and is an Iowa State University graduate. Go Cyclones! Wendy and her husband, Ben, have lived in Minnesota for 25 years. They have four wonderful children, Kylie, Colin, Zoe, and Tessa. They also have two dogs, a Great Pyrenees named Lola and a Newfoundland named Surly. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, gardening, boating, traveling, reading, and getting together with her family.
Jodi
Dental Assistant
Jodi is one of our dental assistants and has been with our practice since 2005. She received her CRDA certificate from Concorde Career Institute in Minneapolis. She works chairside with Dr. Bender two days a week. Jodi and her husband Kirby have two amazing daughters, Kiana and Brooke. They recently welcomed their first grandson, Vance. Jodi loves traveling, going camping up north, and boating in the summertime with her family and friends.
Paige
Hygienist
Paige is a registered dental hygienist and graduated from the University of Minnesota’s dental hygiene program 25 years ago. She has worked with Dr. Bender for 23 years. Her family lives in Elk River. Paige and her husband Paul have two wonderful daughters, Alexandra and Lauren. Alexandra graduated from UMD and currently lives in Florida studying marine science. Lauren will graduate high school in 2025. She plays tennis and is an active National Honor Society member. As a family, they love vacationing in Florida, especially Walt Disney World! They also like spending time up north. In their free time they enjoy gardening, and love to grow tomatoes and peppers to make homemade salsa. Paige looks forward to meeting all of her new patients and welcomes everyone to our family here at Bender Family Dentistry.
Megan
Dental Assistant
Megan was born and raised in rural Alberta, Canada. She received her Dental Assisting Certificate from Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in 2009. She, her husband, and two children moved to Minnesota in 2022. In her free time, Megan enjoys running around to all her children’s activities, including hockey, softball, and cheer. She also enjoys golfing, staying active, and traveling back home to Canada to visit friends and family whenever possible.