I decided to become a dentist when I was really young. My uncle was a dentist and I had a lot of dental issues from some medication when I was a child. I saw him a lot when I was 5, 6 years old, and at some point I decided, he was being nice at helping me and … I certainly, growing up, went through faces of, “Oh, maybe I want to do this or that,” but I always came back to being a dentist. It was what I’ve always wanted to do, and it’s been a great career choice for me. I still love it. It’s a great job for me, it’s perfect. I get to help people and it’s fun.
After graduating from dental school, you don’t have all the answers. I am a real big believer in taking continuing education classes. There are a lot of classes out there targeted to dentists. I have taken over 3,000 hours in my career of classes on the weekends and evenings and days off to learn how to do dentistry better. I’ve gotten an award, the Master’s award from the Academy of General Dentistry for continuing education. Only 1 percent of the dentists ever take that many classes and do that, but I think that it’s part of my responsibility, taking good care of patients to make sure that I’m current.
There’s no question that patients benefit. Doing things in a … using materials that are more durable or more lasting or more cosmetically look … I can match teeth so much better than we could. But even with all of the technology, the important part is giving the care to people while we’re doing it. Once or twice a day somebody is overcome with how happy they are that we were able to solve their problem, and that’s so rewarding. To help people that way, it’s great. I love dentistry.
Discover High-Quality Patient Care With Dr. Kenneth Weddell
Dr. Kenneth Weddell has enjoyed providing amazing dental care for more than three decades. He and his kind staff strive to deliver top-notch patient care to the community. He graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry and owned his own practice in western Michigan for more than 25 years before moving to Bloomington, MN in 2012 to be close to his grandchildren.
He is thrilled to be here in Minnesota! This is where his family is, and Dr. Weddell is eager to be contributing member of the Bloomington community and surrounding areas for many years to come.
Despite his training and many years of experience, Dr. Weddell continues to take advantage of continuing dental education classes at the University of Minnesota. He was the second dentist to complete level III of their esthetic dental continuum in 2006. He also has been a member of the American Dental Association (ADA), the Michigan Dental Association, and the Minnesota Dental Association.
His other professional affiliations include:
- Membership in the Academy of General Dentistry, an organization that encourages continuing education for dentistry. In 2007 he earned the academy’s highest award, the Mastership — which less than 1 percent of general dentists receive.
- Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. This means he has demonstrated his advanced knowledge and skill in treating sleep apnea with oral appliances.