Our Family

Dr. Cooper has been practicing General Dentistry in Bemidji since 1994. She was raised on a farm in North Dakota where her parents were teachers and farmers. She received her B.A. in biology from Minot State University and her DDS from the University of Nebraska in 1992, where she also met and married her husband Bret. Dr. Cooper loves treating families and patients of all ages. In her spare time, she enjoys pontooning, gardening, canning fruits and vegetables, knitting and spoiling her many nieces and nephews. She opened Black Bear Family Dental in 2018.

Dr. Alison Sauer was born and raised in Minnetonka, Minnesota. She attended Brown University in Rhode Island where she received a degree in Health and Human Biology, while also playing division I hockey. She then completed her DDS degree at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. Dr. Sauer is excited to provide quality dental care to the families of Bemidji. Her favorite thing to do is spend time with her husband (Jack), son (Russell) and dog (Lily). She also enjoys exploring the outdoors, playing board games, shopping and playing pick-up hockey!

Sherry has been working in the dental field for 27 years, 25 of them as a crucial member of Dr. Cooper’s team. She is a graduate of Northwest Technical College and she lives in Blackduck with her husband Brady and daughter Gracie. Sherry’s favorite part of dentistry is helping others regain their confidence through improved dental care and she brings kindness and compassion to her work! She enjoys the outdoors, good books and music.

Rachel has been working as a Dental Assistant since 2006. She is a graduate of Northwest Technical College. She has been part of Dr. Cooper’s team for more than a decade. Rachel brings energy and compassion to her work that she hopes will make your visit more relaxed, comfortable and FUN! Her favorite part of dentistry is seeing the positive changes that cosmetic dental work can make in her patients’ lives. Rachel lives in Bemidji with her husband Matt and their son. She likes traveling, running and gardening.

Michele moved to Bemidji from Washington State when she was 11 years old. She graduated from the Dental Assisting Program in 2000 at Northwest Technical College. She enjoys chairside assisting, being part of a team, and building relationships with patients. When she is not learning all things dental, she likes walking outside in nature, biking and baking is her happy place, Black & White movies are a close second. She lives in Bemidji with her Husband Paul, Son Collin, and their dog Axel.

Maggie grew up in Mizpah, MN and moved to Bemidji in 2019. She graduated from the Dental Assisting Program at NTC in 2022. Maggie lives with her dog Rocky and enjoys being outside and hanging out with her family and friends. Her favorite part about her job is that she gets to meet new people!

Kathy is a Dental Hygienist who has been working with Dr. Cooper since 2002. She attended North Dakota State College of Science, graduating in 1997. She also received her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from Minnesota State University – Mankato in 2016. Her favorite part of working in dentistry is forming lasting relationships with patients. She strives to make their visits positive and stress-free! She lives in Bemidji with her dog Teddy, and she enjoys gardening, golfing, walking her dog and having coffee with friends.

Brenda is a Dental Hygienist with more than 30 years of experience. She grew up in Bemidji and attended the University of Minnesota. She is thrilled to be living back in Bemidji after living in Owatonna for 35 years. She lives with her husband and chocolate lab, and she has two grown children and 5 grandchildren. She enjoys spending time at the lake, fishing, gardening and traveling.

Lauren grew up in Park Rapids and graduated high school in 2015. She went to the University of Minnesota-Duluth upon graduation to obtain her BBA in Health Care Management. During her studies she soon realized that she wanted to be a part of the dental field of health care and went to Lake Superior College in Duluth for dental hygiene. Lauren has been with us for 2 years and has enjoyed getting to know her patients.  She recently married her high school sweetheart and moved to the Bemidji area. In her free time she loves to keep busy by visiting with family and friends, being on the lake, reading, and traveling.

Karly grew up in Littlefork and graduated high school in 2016.  She attended the College of North Dakote State College of Science and graduated with a degree in Dental Hygiene in 2019. She has been a hygienist in the Bemidji area for the last 4 years. She loves her job because she is able to meet new people and help them become more confident in their smiles. In her spare time , she enjoys spending time outdoors hunting, fishing and being on the lake. The highlight of her life is her son, Korbin.

Sue has been working in dentistry since 1979, first as a Dental Assistant and then as an Office Manager. She has been part of Dr. Cooper’s team for more than 25 years and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our office. Sue lives in Bemidji with her “fur baby” dog Macy and she loves music, especially blues, traveling and visiting friends and family.

Tammy grew up in Bemidji and went to school at Northwest Technical College. She has been part of Dr. Cooper’s team as a Front Office staff member/Insurance Specialist since 2003, where she has formed lasting relationships with patients and coworkers. She lives with her husband Pat and their dog Izzy.  She has two grown children that live in the area. She enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Kate grew up in Bemidji and graduated from Dental Assisting in 1998 at Northwest Technical College. She enjoys being part of a positive, uplifting team that are all working towards the same goals. In her spare time she enjoys being outdoors, reading and watching true crime documentaries and spending time with her family.