Dental Staff

Dr. Eric Knudsen was born and raised in Escanaba, his father (William F. Knudsen, DDS) started this dental practice in 1968, and his mother (Sandra) is a retired Escanaba kindergarten teacher. Dr. Eric graduated from Escanaba Area Public High School in 1987, and then graduated from the University of Michigan, in 1991, with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree (concentration in Cellular and Molecular Biology). In 1995, he then received his Doctorate of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) from the Univ. of Mich. School of Dentistry, and at graduation was awarded the Louis Schultz Award for Operative Dentistry, the Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Award, and membership in the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honorary dental fraternity. While in dental school, he was active in the Jonathan Taft Dental Society and Delta Sigma Delta dental fraternity (serving as president his senior year).

After dental school, Dr. Eric did a General Practice Residency in Dentistry (G.P.R.) at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI from July 1995 through June 1996. While at the VA, he got advanced training in operative rehabilitation, oral surgery, implant dentistry, IV conscious sedation/anesthesia, oral medicine, and hospital dentistry.

In July 1996, he and his wife (Dr. Elizabeth Knudsen) joined his father's practice in Escanaba, and together they formed Knudsen Dentistry, PLC. Dr. William Knudsen retired in December 2006, after over 38 years in private practice.

Dr. Knudsen’s current professional memberships include: American Dental Association, Michigan Dental Association, Cloverland District Dental Society (current president), Academy of General Dentistry, American Orthodontic Society, Delta County Dental Society, and the Omicron Kappa Upsilon honorary dental fraternity. He is a Fellow in the Pierre Fauchard Academy, which is an international honorary dental service organization. He is also a Fellow in the International College of Dentists, which is by invitation only, and is granted in recognition of an individual dentist’s outstanding professional achievement, meritorious service and dedication to the continued progress of dentistry for the benefit of humankind.

He is very active at the state level with the Michigan Dental Association and currently serves as President, elected by the MDA House of Delegates. On the national level, he has served as a delegate for Michigan at the ADA House of Delegates since 2017.

His community activities include serving on the Escanaba Area Public Schools Board of Education from July 2001 through June 2009 holding positions of president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and trustee. He is a current member of the Escanaba Country Club (previously serving on the ECC board), and Escanaba Elks Lodge #354. Current hobbies include golf, hunting, fishing, U of M athletics (Go Blue!)--holding season football tickets since 1987, spending time with our family at our cottage on Sixteen Mile lake, and learning about new technologies and research in dentistry. Eric and Beth have two children, Matt, currently a dental student at the University of Michigan, and Abigail, of Lakewood, CO, as well as Maizey, their yellow Labrador retriever.

Dr. Elizabeth Knudsen was born and raised in the Flint area. She graduated from Carman-Ainsworth High School and continued her education at the University of Michigan, where she earned a bachelor of science in biology. Dr. Knudsen received her doctor of dental surgery degree in 1996 from the University of Michigan. Upon graduation, Beth was awarded membership in Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honorary Dental Society and received the American Society of Dentistry for Children Merit Award. She has many professional memberships including the American Dental Association, Michigan Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, and Delta County Dental Society. She currently serves as delegate from the U.P. to the Michigan Dental Association and recently attended the annual meeting of the American Dental Association, representing the Ninth District, and is a member of the MDA Foundation Board of Directors. She was recently inducted into the Pierre Fauchard Academy, in recognition of service to the profession of dentistry.

 Beth came to the Upper Peninsula in 1996 to join her husband, Eric and his father, William in dental practice. At that time, she also worked at the Northern Menominee Health Clinic for two years. She enjoys family practice and all aspects of dentistry, especially seeing young patients.

On a personal note, Beth has two children, Matt and Abby, and a yellow Labrador Retriever named Maizey. She is a member of the local chapter of PEO, a philanthropic organization devoted to education for women, where she has served as President, VP, Secretary, and Chaplain. Beth is an American Heart Association certified CPR instructor. Her hobbies include traveling, outdoor activities, reading, and spending time with her family.