Dr. Chris Carlson

Dr. Chris Carlson is one of those people who goes out of his way to make people happy. He says that making others happy is the key to a fulfilled life. That’s why he ultimately chose to be an orthodontist. Every day is about making people smile - and also allows him to combine what he loves: problem-solving, engineering, technology and working with people.

Dr. Carlson earned a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, working as an environmental engineer in Chicago for four years before committing to an additional six years of advanced education to become an orthodontist. He says working as an engineer was not as satisfying as he’d hoped it would be because he was working with numbers more than people. Orthodontics allows him to combine the principles of engineering with dentistry and now, just like the smiles he creates, it’s a perfect fit. He began his orthodontic practice in 2003. Dr. Carlson is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. This board certification is awarded after a rigorous process including examination of both knowledge and completed orthodontic cases. It's just another way that Dr. Carlson has put extra effort into providing you with the highest level of care.

Dr. Carlson is a native of Ironwood, Michigan. He met his wife Amy while on the ski team in college. They were married in 1995 and have two children, Lauren and Erik. They chose to build their life and business in Duluth because of the quality of life in the area: endless outdoor opportunities, great people, and Lake Superior. When he‘s not working, Dr. Carlson enjoys both alpine and nordic skiing, mountain biking (you’ll see him skiing in the Birkie and riding in the Chequamegon each year), traveling to new places, flying small planes (he‘s had his pilot’s license since the age of 16), and bird hunting.

Why choose a Board Certified Orthodontist?

Has a hammer ever made someone a carpenter? Does a camera make a photographer? Tools have never created the skill— they're simply a conduit, teaming with talent, education, experience, and knowledge. When the very best tools are in the hands of the very best specialists, magic happens. Such is the case with Dr. Carlson, a board-certified orthodontist in the Greater Duluth area. To become certified by the American Board of Orthodontics, doctors require additional education and a rigorous certification process. When you're at Carlson Orthodontics, know that your family's care is in the best possible hands!

Dr. Jake Schroeder

Dr. Jake Schroeder is known for his upbeat, kind-hearted, and personable attitude towards everyone he meets. Deeply curious at heart, he has a strong desire to find exactly what will put a smile on the face of those he runs into. His curiosity is what led to his knack for figuring out how things work. Inspired by his father, he grew up doing woodworking, welding projects, and fixing anything that had an engine. When he was 14, he landed his first job repairing machinery at Superior Striping near his hometown. He seemed destined for a career in engineering, but above all, Dr. Schroeder is a people person, and he found his true calling in dentistry. He loves working with his patients - engineering beautiful smiles is the perfect fit and he truly feels like he is doing exactly what he was meant to do!

As a golden gopher, Dr. Schroeder started his 10-year academic journey at the University of Minnesota by earning a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. He then continued to get his DDS from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, where he finished top of his class, and then finally earned his master's degree and training in the orthodontics specialty from the very same institution. He received this advanced training under the guidance of Dr. Brent Larson, past American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) President and is currently a member of the AAO, American Dental Association and Minnesota Dental Association.

Dr. Schroeder is beyond excited to bring his energy and passion for orthodontics and oral health care to the Duluth area. Born and raised in Elk River, Minnesota, he grew up traveling with his family to the north woods as a young boy. Seeking any adventure, he could get his hands on, he quickly grew passionate about outdoor activities. In his free time, he can be found waterskiing, cross-country ski racing, snowboarding out west, and participating in endurance races across the country. Not only has he run the Bryce Canyon Ultramarathon, Rim-to-Rim on the Grand Canyon, and raced the American Birkebeiner numerous times, he was also a HED-sponsored triathlete and placed 4th in his first Ironman triathlon in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho!
We're proud to be recognized as the "Best of the Best" by the Duluth community for five straight years and counting! Over the years, we've been awarded the following:
  • 2018 - Best Dental Office, Best Customer Service
  • 2019 - Best Dental Office, Customer Service, Small Company to Work For, Workplace Culture
  • 2020 - Best Dental Office, Customer Service, Small Company to Work For, Workplace Culture
  • 2021 - Best Dental Office, Customer Service, Small Company to Work For, Workplace Culture
  • 2022 - Best Dental Office, Customer Service, Small Company to Work For, Workplace Culture
  • 2023 - Best Dental Office, Customer Service, Small Company to Work For, Workplace Culture

Welcome to our Office

You can tell a lot about an orthodontic office by observing the people that work there. The way they interact with each other is a pretty good indicator of what it will be like to be a patient in their care. All we can say about that is we can’t wait for you to meet our team!

First and foremost, we’re committed to making every member of your family feel like a member of our family. That’s the obvious difference. But what you may not know is that along with all the leading edge technologies we offer patients, our team stays completely up to date on how to use those technologies to deliver a great patient experience. You can find out a bit about each team member by clicking on their photos below.

Meet the Team

Annie

Practice Manager

Ellen

Treatment Coordinator

Maya

Treatment Coordinator

Marisa

Treatment Coordinator

Kayli

Clinical Manager

Karley

Clinical Assistant

Nicole

Clinical Assistant

Emily

Clinical Assistant

Sydney

Clinical Assistant

Hailey

Clinical Assistant

Nikki

Clinical Assistant

Kaitlyn

Lab Assistant/Clinical Assistant

Sandra

Clinical Assistant

Chloe

Clinical Assistant

Taylor W.

Clinical Assistant/Superior Clinical Lead

Taylor S.

Clinical Assistant

Elsie

Lab Assistant

Sam

Scheduling Coordinator

Misty

Scheduling Coordinator

Christy

Scheduling Coordinator

Bill

Financial Coordinator

Annie

Practice Manager
Annie attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth before taking on multiple management positions. She joined the Carlson Orthodontics team in 2016 as an Administrative Director and Treatment Coordinator. Soon after, she became the Practice Manager, ensuring all areas of the practice run smoothly and efficiently. What Annie loves most about what she does is working with the energetic team and getting to know the families that join the practice. She loves what she does and feels it is a true blessing to be a part of touching so many lives.

When Annie is not at work, she is likely with her husband attending one of their children's sporting events or spending time fishing at the lake with her family.

Ellen

Treatment Coordinator
Ellen graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Superior in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in communication. She began working for Carlson Orthodontics as a Treatment Coordinator in 2020 and enjoys meeting new people every day while helping them begin the journey towards their new smile. Outside of work, Ellen enjoys playing volleyball or hiking around Duluth and the North Shore with her dog.

Maya

Treatment Coordinator
Maya joined the Carlson Orthodontics team in 2019 as a Clinical Assistant. She added the role of Scheduling Coordinator soon after and has been the Treatment Coordinator since 2020. Her favorite part of the job is making lasting connections with members of the community as they transform their smiles and their lives. When she's not at work, she likes to spend time on walks with her children and her dog.

Marisa

Treatment Coordinator
In between her first job — selling cotton candy at Duluth-Superior Dukes games in the late 1990’s — and joining Carlson Orthodontics as a Treatment Coordinator in 2023, Marisa worked in numerous health care roles. She graduated from Lake Superior College in 2020 with her associate degree in respiratory therapy. Marisa loves the camaraderie, kindness and supportive culture of Carlson Orthodontics.

When she isn’t working, Marisa is likely chasing after one of her four boys. She also is an avid runner, a lover of Lake Superior, and a fan of good music.

Kayli

Clinical Manager
Kayli graduated in 2017 from Hibbing Community College with her license in dental assisting and now works as the Clinical Manager in the Duluth and Cloquet offices. She loves the enthusiastic atmosphere and dedication to excellence among the team at Carlson Orthodontics. When Kayli is not working, she can be found outside with her husband and kids or doing aerial yoga!

Karley

Clinical Assistant
Karley graduated from Hibbing Community College with a dental assisting degree in 2022. Her favorite part about dental assisting is the patients she gets to interact with daily while helping to create beautiful smiles. When not working, you can find Karley fishing, hunting, and enjoying quality time with friends and family.

Nicole

Clinical Assistant
Nicole graduated from Lake Superior College with her degree as a registered dental hygienist in 2020. She worked in private practice as a hygienist for two years before joining the Carlson Orthodontics team. Her favorite part about being a clinician is educating her patients on the impact your oral hygiene can have on your overall health. When Nicole isn't at work, she might be seen around town riding her motorcycle or thrift shopping!

Emily

Clinical Assistant
Emily graduated from Minnesota North College with a dental assisting degree in 2023 before joining the Carlson Orthodontics team. Her favorite part about being a dental assistant is helping patients achieve their goals to create their own beautiful smiles. She also loves making connections with patients and learning what their favorite things to do are.

When Emily is not working you can find her out exploring new coffee shops around town with her husband. They also love going out on brunch dates with an occasional thrift haul after.

Sydney

Clinical Assistant
Sydney graduated from Hibbing Community College with a dental assisting degree in 2022. The thing she loves most about being a dental assistant is being able to interact with new people every day. When not at work, Sydney hangs out with friends and family.

Hailey

Clinical Assistant
In 2023, Hailey graduated from Minnesota North- Hibbing College with a dental assisting degree. Her favorite part about working as a dental assistant is seeing patients' reactions at their brace removal and having the opportunity to celebrate with them. Outside of work she enjoys going for walks, four-wheeling, and spending time with my family, friends, and dogs.

Nikki

Clinical Assistant
Nikki joined Carlson Orthodontics in 2021 as a Clinical Assistant. Her favorite part about her job is helping patients and seeing their smiles transform. One fun fact about Nikki is that she has a dog and a son who are both crazy full of energy. She looks forward to going home to see them every day and being able to play with them.

Kaitlyn

Lab Assistant/Clinical Assistant
Kaitlyn is currently attending Hibbing Community College to become a licensed dental assistant in the spring of 2024. She wasn’t sure about her plans before joining the Carlson Orthodontics team and starting school, but the energetic and fast paced working environment intrigued her. Kaitlyn loves seeing patients smile after they get their braces off and all the hard work that went into that!

Kaitlyn grew up and lives in Duluth. She has two brothers, Jacob and Henry, and two golden doodle pups, Ellie and Nettie. In her free time, she enjoys four wheeling, hiking, going to the gym, and playing sports.

Sandra

Clinical Assistant
Sandra was going to school to become a nurse in 2021 before deciding on a career change and starting with Carlson Orthodontics as a Scheduling Coordinator. She is now working as a Clinical Assistant and plans to attend school to get her dental assisting license. Her favorite part of the job is making lasting friendships with each patient. When Sandra is not at work, she can be found spending time with her husband, son, and two dogs.

Chloe

Clinical Assistant
Chloe graduated in 2021 from South Shore High School in Port Wing, WI. What she loves most about being a Clinical Assistant is seeing people excited about their progress and eventually being done with treatment and walking up to celebrate. When not at work you can find Chloe hanging out with her niece or around the animals on the farm.

Taylor W.

Clinical Assistant/Superior Clinical Lead
Taylor started at Carlson Orthodontics in 2021 as a Clinical Assistant and became Clinical Lead for the Superior office in 2022. Her favorite thing about her job is creating the perfect, confident smiles patients leave Carlson Orthodontics with. In her free time, she can be found enjoying the outdoors and traveling the world. Her favorite state is The Sunshine State - Florida!

Taylor S.

Clinical Assistant
Taylor Joined Carlson’s Orthodontics in 2023 as a Clinical Assistant. Her favorite part of the job is helping those of all ages feel confident in achieving the smile they want.

When she is not working you can find her out hunting, or spending time with friends and family.

Elsie

Lab Assistant
Elsie is currently attending Lake Superior College to receive her associate of arts degree. Her favorite part of the job is knowing that she is helping someone else by making a retainer for them to keep their new smile. She loves the feeling of accomplishing a good deed for someone.

In between work and school, she is usually out shopping with friends, spending time with family, or spending time in the great outdoors!

Sam

Scheduling Coordinator
Samantha had been working as a phlebotomist since 2009 before joining Carlson Orthodontics as a Scheduling Coordinator in 2022. Her favorite part of working for the practice is fostering lasting relationships that she didn't expect. Samantha's very first job in high school was at a dental lab creating crowns and bridges.

Misty

Scheduling Coordinator
Misty joined the Carlson Orthodontics team in 2022 after taking an interest in dental assisting. Her favorite part is seeing the end result and how happy the patients are when they complete treatment. If Misty’s not at work, she’s with her kids and family exploring at home or while on vacation.

Christy

Scheduling Coordinator
As a local business owner for over ten years Christy has come to us with experience and professionalism. When she isn't scheduling at the front desk or working at the shop, she enjoys spending time with her three children: Alex (25), Cooper (23), Annika (18), and her grandson Carter!

What Christy loves about working at Carlson's is the atmosphere and friendship within the office culture.

Bill

Financial Coordinator
Bill graduated from The University of Wisconsin-Superior in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in accounting. His favorite part about working at Carlson Orthodontics is the unique workplace culture that makes each day an uplifting, positive experience for everyone.

In his free time, Bill enjoys following the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Chicago White Sox, and spending as much time as possible with his two incredible kids, Landon and Paige.

Office Tour

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Community Involvement

We smile when we get to make the world a better place. Through our smile scholarships, volunteer work, and annual Season of Giving, we have always strived to be the most philanthropic orthodontic practice in Minnesota.
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We can't wait to meet you!