Today you know it as the home of Oconomowoc Dental Care, but did you know that our medical building at 819 Summit Avenue in Oconomowoc was designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright? Its true! Originally from Kenosha, Robert Kueny was a UW-Madison grad who had served a fellowship at Wrights Taliesin studio in 1955. He then went on to open an architecture firm and was commissioned by Dr. Dean Epperson in 1962 to design an office building in Oconomowoc.
Kuenys design was built for Dr. Epperson in 1963. He practiced medicine there from 1963 to 1983 and during that period, the structure was referred to as the Epperson building. That moniker has long since been forgotten, although to this day, our building stands as an architectural landmark in the City of Oconomowoc.
Dr. Rodney Barnes has practiced dentistry in this building since 1965, not even slowing down in 1986, the year a young Dr. Jim Michaels took over the practice. Drs. Barnes and Michaels have long enjoyed working together and sharing their mutual love of aviation, which continues to this day. Dr. Barnes is still a licensed pilot and very much enjoys flyingat the ripe young age of 97!
Some of you may remember the late Dr. Edd Kreutzman, who was also a close friend of Dr. Michaels, and was quite well-known in the Oconomowoc area. He practiced dentistry with Dr. Michaels from1986 to1997.
With its flat roof, brickwork, and window placement, there is no questioning Wrights influence on Kuenys design. But wait until you step inside! Our office has a naturally warm, friendly feel to it. A cozy fireplace graces the reception area. The brick layout, clean lines, and natural lightingall afforded by the architects designare what give our interior environment its unique look and feel. That atmosphere is further enhanced by the ever-friendly staff at Oconomowoc Dental Care, to say nothing of the fresh baked cookies, which we serve daily!
For most people, choosing a dentist is a pretty big decision. They understand that dental care is an ongoing process, so they want a practitioner that they can be comfortable with and can count on to do whats best for them and their teeth in the long run.
I take that trust very seriously because I consider my patients to be members of our dental family here. Thats why putting patients at ease about their dental needs has been a top priority for me since I began practicing in 1985.
In order to make your dental care experience as positive as possible, I believe in a gentle, caring approach to all procedures. I also believe in outlining all the options available to you, so we can decide together whats best for your particular situation.
Above all, I want you to know that you can turn to me for all your dental needs. From tooth whitening to oral surgery, Im skilled in the latest procedures. After all, my education as a dentist didnt end the minute I got my diploma. As a health care professional, I feel its my responsibility to continue to learn about all the latest treatments in dentistry. There are new advances and better forms of treatment being discovered all the time, and I owe it to my patients to be fully knowledgeable about all of them.
Thats one reason why Im active in so many professional organizations. Its through my membership in these professional organizations that Im able to learn a great deal of information on new advances in dentistry to help me better serve my patients.
Im grateful to the dental community for all that its given me. And I believe in giving back to the community thats been so good to me. In addition to being personally rewarding, passing on knowledge to colleagues and future dentists helps make me a more well-rounded practitioner.
