Pediatric dentists to triple space for their northwest practice with new building

A growing pediatric dental practice in northwest Wichita plans to construct a new building that will nearly triple its office space.

Dentist Crystal Walker, founder of Children’s Dental Professionals at 7075 W. 37th, said she expects construction to begin next month.

The new building will be just east of the practice’s existing office on 37th Street. It also will be closer to Mid-Kansas Pediatric Associates, from which Children’s Dental receives referrals, said Mariah Frazier, Walker’s partner.

Frazier said the new building allows them to treat a growing patient base “in an efficient and timely manner.”

“We needed more space to do that,” she added.

Walker opened the practice in October 2006 after completing her pediatric dentistry residency at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Frazier joined the practice in January 2008 after completing her residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

They first met while attending dental school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where Walker was a year ahead of Frazier.

The new building will be 8,000 square feet compared with the 2,400-square-foot space the practice currently leases. Walker said that increased size will allow them to have 13 dental chairs instead of the six they currently have.

The practice employs 14 people.

They hope to open the new building in August 2015.

The architect is Shelden Architecture, and the general contractor is Simpson Construction Services.

Bradley Tidemann, Doug Malone and Marty Gilchrist, all of J.P. Weigand & Sons, brokered the practice’s purchase of the land from Via Christi.

This story was originally published October 15, 2014 at 8:43 AM with the headline "Pediatric dentists to triple space for their northwest practice with new building."