Kristo built the Eau Claire office about 16 years ago, 10 years into his career. His father, Dr. Andrew Kristo, started the practice in 1959 and Steve joined him in 1988. Since then, the practice has expanded into several surrounding Wisconsin communities, including Black River Falls, Bloomer, Chippewa Falls, Menomonie, Rice Lake and Stanley. The practice today comprises seven locations and is growing.

Kristo decided to upgrade his Eau Claire location to support the advanced patient care he and his team provide. “As times change, the way you practice changes too. It was time to modernize,” he said. “I wanted more efficiency, better patient and staff flow, more functional work areas, and more comfortable patient waiting areas.”

Working closely with Mike Muellenbach, Patterson Dental equipment specialist, and Dawn Cunningham, Patterson Dental territory representative, Kristo embarked on a two-year, three-phase remodel of the Eau Claire practice. The team also helped him build two new satellite practices during that same time, and will soon begin work on a third new location.

With so many projects running concurrently, Kristo says it is essential to work with a partner like Patterson. “Any time I think about building a new office or remodeling an existing one, I call Mike,” Kristo said. “Mike knows how to make my spaces the best for my team, my patients and their families. He is the quarterback of my office design team and he brings my vision to the rest of the team.”

“My goal with the Eau Claire flagship project was to earn Dr. Kristo’s trust by showing how we could gain production through increased efficiency and creating a more modern practice,” Muellenbach said.

Part of that efficiency gain came from redesigning the workflow pattern with an open bay workstation. “It’s much more efficient for me to move around the clinic now,” Kristo said. “We also added small waiting areas all around the bay so families can be close to their kids at all times.” One of those new waiting areas is the Kristo Café, a coffee-shop-inspired area of the practice that serves coffees and other beverages.

Equipping the bays afforded Kristo another opportunity to increase productivity as well as enhance the ergonomics for him and his team. To help him make his equipment selections, Muellenbach took Kristo on a trip to the A-dec factory in Oregon, where the doctor spent time examining the equipment and envisioning it in his practice.

“The A-dec 541 delivery unit that Dr. Kristo selected is a strong ergonomic choice, and it’s also helping him and his team be more efficient,” Muellenbach said.