|
Being from the Midwest, Dr. Wirtz grew up watching adults discuss all important issues and family matters over the kitchen table. So, when you enter our practice, the first chair you will sit in is at an antique family kitchen table in the privacy of our consultation room.
You may want to know a bit about us before you enter
our office, so we have posted short bios of our team
below.
Patient Care Coordinators
When you enter our office, you are greeted by our
patient care coordinators, Jen and Rachel. A combination
of concierge, dental assistant, and treatment coordinator,
their job is to take care of our patients’ needs
– from concerns about your dental health to
insurance issues. A care coordinator is assigned to
each patient and serves as a liaison for the entire
dental care experience. There is no "handing
off" to various departmental individuals; just
one person = total comprehensive care.
Jen
Jen has been the dental field since 1998. She joined Sunridge Dental Care in 2002 as a patient care coordinator. When she’s not chasing her young son around the house, she enjoys boating, ice hockey and baseball. Her favorite baseball team is the Texas Rangers.
Rachel
Rachel is a certified dental assistant who has worked in the dental field since 1994. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, she has now lived in Arizona since 1999. Rachel joined Sunridge Dental Care in 2004 as a patient care coordinator. In addition to running and cycling, she currently attends Estrella Mountain Community College. She and her husband enjoy watching the Chicago Cubs.
Hygienist
Sara
We have a unique hygiene program, thanks to our
dental hygienist, Sara. Her goal is to clean your
teeth and gums thoroughly while making sure you are
comfortable. In addition, she has had extensive training
in conservative, non-surgical periodontal therapies
and is in charge of our soft tissue management care.
Karl K. Wirtz, DDS
 Dr. Wirtz lived in Iowa until age 5. His family then moved to Missouri where he grew up on a farm outside the Kansas City area. While watching his father ( who was a "mechanical wizard") invent new techniques and machines to improve the farming lifestyle, Dr. Wirtz developed a passion for precision handicrafts and problem-solving ideas. That passion carries over to today where he is constantly devising new techniques and advanced dental therapies to better serve his patients.
Although he considered a career in professional baseball (and still loves the game), a career in dentistry seemed to be a better long term choice. So, after attending the University of Missouri - Columbia for three years, Dr. Wirtz was accepted at the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Dentistry. He graduated "With Distinction" in 1977 and immediately settled into the Phoenix area to enjoy Arizona's climate during his career years. Dr. Wirtz moved his dental practice to Sun City West in March, 2000 and established Sunridge Dental Care.
Since then, Dr. Wirtz has continued to extensively
explore the field of dentistry. In the past three
years alone, he has attended over 700 hours of continuing
education courses in areas such as removable prosthodontics
and implant prosthetics. Dr. Wirtz is a graduate of The Misch International
Implant Institute, an alumni of the Pankey Institute and a recent graduate of the Dawson Center in St. Petersburg, Florida. Dr. Wirtz is also a trained
dental lab technician and does most of his own lab
work in the office to provide quality personalized
care for his patients.
In addition to being an eternal student, Dr. Wirtz
hopes to share the knowledge he has gained. He recently
renovated his office to include a training facility.
There, he welcomes other dental professionals to learn
about removable prosthodontics and other areas of
dentistry as well as help his patients learn more
about their dental health.
 Dr. Wirtz is a Fellow of the Internal
Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI). He is
a Life Member of the Christian
Dental Society. He is a member of the American
College of Oral Implantology, the Implant Prosthondontics
Section of the ICOI and the Speaking/Consulting
Network. Dr. Wirtz is also a charter member and
restorative consultant for the Comprehensive Care
Continuum Study Club. He is the founder and presenter
of the Study Club for Removable Prosthodontics.
Dr. Wirtz and his wife Barbara have been residents of Sun City Grand in Surprise, Arizona since 2002.Outside of dentistry, Dr.
Wirtz enjoys cycling, reading, and baseball. He enjoys
watching his favorite team, the Arizona
Diamondbacks.
|
