We want to celebrate specialty dentistry and the pediatric dentists and orthodontists who bring healthy smiles to so many faces. We insist that every community has access to specialty dental care for their families. And above all, we will create the fun and extraordinary experiences that make patients look forward to a lifetime of healthy smiles.
I wanted to create a special place for specialty dentistry and raise the bar on what we do and how we do it for the communities we live in.
Steve Kristo, DDS
Founding doctor
Competition for hometown specialty dentists is rising. The daily burdens of practice operations leave little room for life outside the clinic, leading to doctor burnout and exhaustion. Not only are doctors expected to be full-time care providers, but specialists who can play CEO, CFO, marketing specialist, and human relations pro! With all these demands, it’s sometimes impossible to feel successful.
During their combined 50+ years of owning and operating successful practices, Dr. Steve Kristo, orthodontist, and Dr. Amanda Spitz, pediatric dentist, experienced many of the challenges facing specialty dentists today. Together, they realized that in order for specialists at all stages of their career to feel fulfilled, they needed a better platform to bring them together, provide support and mentorship, and champion the balance needed for personal and professional growth.
In 2017, Dr. Kristo and Dr. Spitz joined together to create a support organization for specialty dentists with quality care and positive culture as the priorities. Together, along with an executive team and growing home office to manage the business, Drs. Kristo and Spitz's partnership became Specialty Smile Partners—an organization committed to creating a robust network of specialty practices that celebrate care and culture, doctors and patients.
Specialty Smile Partners now represents a growing line of pediatric dentistry and orthodontic practices across the Midwest. Each office focuses on doctor and team happiness, with the belief that happy doctors means happier patients.
Our leadership team is committed to providing outstanding clinical outcomes, exceptional patient experiences, and meaningful community engagement through a network of exceptional hometown specialty dentists.
Our focus is on creating a supportive and collaborative care culture for our doctors and teams. By caring for each other we are happier, enjoy our work, and have the energy to continually provide exceptional care to patients.
Amanda Spitz, DDS
Founding doctor
Steve Kristo, DDS, MS
Founding doctor
Dr. Kristo has a long history in dentistry, as his father, Dr. Andrew Kristo, started their family-owned orthodontic practice in 1959. He joined the practice in 1988 and early on witnessed the life-transforming impact that an improved smile has on people’s lives and self-esteem. It became his motivation and his passion.
Today, Dr. Kristo focuses on helping children from all social dynamics improve their lives through orthodontic treatment. He knows that providing the highest-quality care has positive impacts for children, their families, and the community at large.
"I really do believe we are the future of specialty dentistry. I think someone who is joining Specialty Smile Partners right now is going to meet their financial goals, as well as all of their family and 'outside of work' goals. We give them time and energy back, position them in a successful environment, and give them upside potential."
Amanda Spitz, DDS
Founding doctor
Determined to create a unique child-centered approach to dental care that would inspire children and families and prepare them for a lifetime of dental health, Dr. Spitz founded Smiles in Motion, Pediatric Dentistry in 2008. As a mother of two, she knows firsthand the importance of quality and honesty in health care, for both children and their parents.
Dr. Spitz’s goal is to build dental teams that have empathy and understand every child is unique, with different adaptability and coping skills. Therefore, she encourages her teams to make dentistry fun, comfortable, and informative every step of the way.
"Specialty Smile Partners is about supporting our providers and their teams so they can focus on providing patient experiences and care that is truly exceptional."
Jason Lockwood
President and CEO
With experience successfully leading and growing companies in healthcare and dental industries, Jason Lockwood applies a proven business model to Specialty Smile Partners that positions the organization for long-term growth and success. His approach to growing successful specialty clinics is to ensure doctors and patients enjoy the process of creating beautiful smiles. Jason believes pediatric dentistry and orthodontics are important building blocks for the development of children, helping them transform into confident, successful adults.
Previously he served as President & CEO of Westone Laboratories and ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers in Denver. Jason has an MBA from Harvard Business School.
"It’s an honor to serve the doctors, staff and patients of Specialty Smile Partners. We are committed to the personal and professional growth of all of our partners. Together, we try to bring our absolute best every day to help families live better lives with healthy, beautiful smiles—it’s a worthy and fulfilling cause."
Learn more about Specialty Smile Partner's latest updates and openings in our blog.
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Great River Orthodontics Minnesota Welcomes Dr. Silja Furche
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Dr. Klifford Kapus joins Great River Orthodontics as new Clinical Leader
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SSP Announces Partnership with All Smiles Orthodontics
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Prairie Grove Orthodontics Welcomes Dr. Joshua Whetten
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Chapman Orthodontics Welcomes Dr. Matan Farhi
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SIMKO Specialty Dental has partnered with Blue Sea Capital to form Specialty Smile Partners
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Specialty Smile Partners proudly announces the addition of Dr. Gregory Ross and Ross Orthodontics
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Specialty Smile Partners welcomes Dr. Todd Anderson and Central Lakes Orthodontics
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