Family Dental Services has broken ground on a cutting-edge facility in St. Peters, Mo., that will be the largest single-user dental building in Missouri when completed. The 24,000-square-foot practice was designed by Levin Associates and is being built by A.J. Brown, Inc.
"Our main concern is taking care of patients," said Robert T. Rizzuti, DMD. "The building is designed to exemplify our motto -- dedicated to treating our patients the way we wish to be treated."
The bi-level building will be divided into three areas -- pedodontics-orthodontics (children and braces), general dentistry, and oral surgery. Patients will benefit from 28 fully equipped patient treatment areas and a centralized sterilization area, which is visible from the waiting room through glazed glass windows. This unique area aloows patients to see the procedures the practice undergoes to ensure safety for its patients. The area will be used to sterilize all instruments, trash, and miscellaneous items used to treat the practice's thousands of active patients from across the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Family Dental is also dedicated to treating its more than 50 employees well. The facility will feature staff showers and locker rooms, on-site laundry, a kitchenette, a staff training/lounge area, and a 1,200-square-foot employer-sponsored staff childcare area. Located on the lower level of the building, the children's center will be available to all employees and will include a fenced-in playground visible from many of the patient treatment rooms.
"The children's area is our way of giving back to our existing employees and attracting new ones," Rizzuti said. "It eliminates the need to find and pay a babysitter during our extended hours. We are committed to offering convenience to our patients and are open from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monda through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday."
The residential-style building will feature brick veneer and decorative siding over a wood frame, accented by a hipped roof with architectural shingles. A decorative tower will serve as the central focus of the sprawling practice. Located on 3.5 acres at Cave Springs Estates and Blue Springs drives in St. Peters, Mo., the practice will be visible from the Cave Springs exit off Interstate 70. Completion is scheduled for May or June of 2002.
Founded in 1968 as a pedodontic practice, Family Dental Services currently employs 10 dentists and 41 auxiliary staff, all of which are employees of the corporation. Family Dental was among the first in the country to be fully accredited by the American Academy of Dental Group Practice.
