Meet Our Watertown Dental Team

Dr. Palmquist is a general dentist with a very diverse skill set from his education and training. He developed the Dynamic Dental (formerly Palmquist Dental) clinic to provide family dentistry as well as more specialized services. Some of these services include dental implant placement and restoration, Watertown wisdom teeth removal, and in-office IV sedation dentistry. He also performs hospital dentistry at the local surgical center and regional hospital for individuals with special needs and developmental disabilities. 

Dr. Palmquist grew up on his family's farm in Northeast South Dakota. He and his wife, Jennifer, are proud parents to four children—Avery, Ella, Hudson and Brody. In his spare time, Dr. Palmquist enjoys hunting, fishing, and watching his children in their sporting activities.

Dr. Palmquist graduated from South Dakota State University with degrees in Biology and Chemistry. In 2006, he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska. 

Dr. Palmquist completed a post graduate implant residency from the American Academy of Implant Dentistry MaxiCourse program. Graduates of this program receive advanced training encompassing dental implant placement, restoration and intravenous sedation. 

While he practices all aspects of Watertown dentistry, he is one of the few general dentists in the area that does most dental surgeries in-house, including dental implant placement and restoration, full mouth extractions with immediate denture placement, and wisdom teeth removal.

While in dental school, Dr. Palmquist did numerous hours of volunteer dentistry, received several scholarships and placed in the top 5% of the Central Regional Dental Testing Service Examination. He also maintains a memberships in: 

• American Academy of Implant Dentistry 
• American Dental Society of Anesthesiology
• Alabama Implant Study Club

Dr. Rachel Wiarda grew up in Winona, a small town on the Mississippi River in southeastern Minnesota. She has always had a deep appreciation for the importance of good oral health and its connection to overall well-being. From a young age, she was captivated by the art and science of dentistry, which led to the pursuit of a dental career. 

Dr. Rachel began her undergraduate courses at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California and completed her undergraduate degrees back in Minnesota at Winona State University. She graduated with honors earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology with a minor in Biochemistry, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish. She then attended Creighton University School of Dentistry, graduating with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. 

Her dental career began in Centuria, Wisconsin where she worked as a general dentist at a small private practice. She then moved to Castlewood, South Dakota in 2023 and joined Dr. Palmquist at Dynamic Dental. Throughout her career, Dr. Rachel has developed a strong foundation in both preventative and restorative care. She has sought to expand her knowledge through continuing education and training in the latest dental technologies and techniques, which allows her to provide advanced and compassionate care to patients. She takes pride in building trusting relationships with patients, offering personalized care that meets their unique needs and goals. 

Outside of the office, Dr. Rachel enjoys traveling. She spent six months living in Spain and has traveled much of Europe as well as parts of Africa and Central America. Dr. Rachel always loves hearing about the travel adventures of others! In her free time, she also enjoys being active and spending time with friends and family. 

Dr. Rachel looks forward to continuing to help patients in the Watertown area achieve their best smiles and a lifetime of good oral health.

 Dr. Allison VanLaecken-Heggelund grew up in Watertown, SD surrounded by several dental professionals. They sparked an interest in the dental field which has turned into a passion of her own.

She attended college at the University of South Dakota and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree and minors in Interdisciplinary Sciences and Chemistry. She then attended Creighton University and graduated as a Doctor of Dental Surgery in 2023.

Dr. VanLaecken-Heggelund looks forward to giving back to the community that raised her and being close to family again. What she enjoys most about dentistry is that every day is an opportunity to serve patients and help them either get out of pain or restore their mouth to great oral health. It’s extremely rewarding giving patients their health and smile back!

When she is not working, Dr. VanLaecken-Heggelund enjoys spending time with her husband Marcus, daughter Rosie, and their son RJ. She enjoys singing at church, playing golf, and spending time with friends and family. 

She is looking forward to getting involved in the community through church, volunteer programs, and her children’s activities.