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Office Visit: Dr. Daniel Aneszko by Arselia Gales, assistant editor

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Categories: Office Design; Practice Management, HR and Accounting;
Office Visit: Dr. Daniel Aneszko

by Arselia Gales, assistant editor
photography by Jorge Gera (doctors and staff) and courtesy of Dr. Daniel Aneszko (stills)

Dentists spend most of their working hours inside their own practices, so they usually don’t get many opportunities to see what it’s like inside another doctor’s office. Dentaltown’s recurring Office Visit profile offers a chance for Townies to meet their peers, hear their stories and get a sense of how they practice.
When Dr. Daniel Aneszko decided to renew his lease and renovate his practice in the midst of the pandemic, it was a risk he was willing to take. “We took the situation and made the best of it by making not only an aesthetic enhancement but also an infection control upgrade that will most likely set a new standard of patient care moving forward,” he says.

The remodel, which took 2½ months, earned Aneszko an ADA Design Innovation award in the remodel category, so it’s safe to say his decision paid off.

Aneszko practices alongside Dr. Rana Stino in the historic Water Tower Place on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, which Aneszko first joined in 2003. In his 18 years of practice, he’s had the opportunity to hone his craft and enrich the lives of thousands of patients. In addition to treating his own patients, he enjoys giving back to his community through a number of charitable organizations at home and abroad.

In this month’s Office Visit Q&A, he details the most important things to look for when renegotiating a lease while also remodeling your practice, shares his favorite technologies and why he believes it’s an exciting time to be a dentist.
Office Highlights

Name:
Dr. Daniel Aneszko

Graduated from:
 University of Detroit Mercy Schools of Dentistry

Practice:
 Water Tower Dental Care, Chicago

Practice size:
2,863 square feet

Team size:
12

What led you to choose a career in dentistry?

In sixth grade, I did a science fair project on dentistry that led me to want to be a dentist. I still have the project and I’ll occasionally pull it out to reminisce, reflect and smile. My childhood dentists were motivators, too: I had one I feared and another I really looked up to. The dentist I liked was gentle and funny and made the experience enjoyable. I spent many hours at his office observing, confirming my pursuit to become a dentist.

I also love working with my hands and enjoy taking something that is broken, worn or decayed and restoring it to its most natural-looking state. The biomechanics of dentistry (occlusion, muscles and joints, TMJ) keeps me most interested as a dentist. I also like working with people and helping them understand what they can to do as a patient to keep their teeth for a lifetime. Overall, I love being a dentist and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

What was your journey to practice ownership like?

After graduating from dental school, I completed a general practice residency at Loyola Medical Center Oral Health Center. From there, I worked as an associate at four different offices over the course of four years. I found tremendous value in working at various offices because they were all learning experiences: Each offered something different that made me a more well-rounded dentist. I also had a better understanding of the different types of practice style out there.

It wasn’t until my fourth associate position that I found the practice that fit my personality and the type of cosmetic dentistry that I wanted to learn. Water Tower Dental Care was owned by two other dentists before I bought in. It was a well-established practice, originally started in the 1960s with a solid patient base. I still thank my friend Dr. Justin Geller for introducing me to the practice upon his exit as an associate, and my former partner, Dr. Jennifer Moran, for creating a culture of success.

You remodeled your practice at the height of the pandemic, shortly after renewing your lease for 15 years. What led to this decision?

My lease was expiring, and I had to renew or move. I looked at other spaces within walking distance of my current location and simultaneously negotiated my current space for leverage. After months of back-and-forth, in February 2020 we agreed to a 15-year lease and tenant space improvement dollars that essentially gave me “free money.”

The investment into a new space and moving my office would have cost 10 times what the remodel did. I couldn’t justify the expense of moving, so I signed the renewal just weeks before the pandemic hit.

The timing was great: My office shut down for 2½ months starting March 16, 2020. The plans had already been drawn and I had ordered the floor and wall coverings, solar blinds, dental equipment, LED ceiling lights and other light fixtures in early 2020, so I was lucky enough to get shipment just in time for install. So my contractor, Arlington Construction, had free rein of the office and could work around the clock with no restrictions.

The remodel earned your practice the ADA Design Innovation Award. What do you think earned you this distinction?

I think it was a compelling story about how we need to adapt to our environment in an ever-changing reality. We took the situation and made the best of it by not only making an aesthetic enhancement but also an infection-control upgrade that will most likely set a new standard of patient care moving forward.

I believe the COVID-19 pandemic will make patients more aware and concerned about how dentists are handling infection control. Patients will still want to walk into a nice-looking dental office, but health, efficiency and cleanliness will be of utmost importance.

When remodeling your practice, what was most important to you?

My priorities changed during the remodel: Originally I was most concerned about aesthetics, but infection control became the new priority. As we learned more about the coronavirus, I was concerned about keeping my patients, my team and myself safe.

We worked with our building management office and replaced the VAV boxes (air flow) within my leased space, installed true HEPA filtration in all treatment rooms and installed partitions in treatment rooms that were once open. We decluttered the countertops for easy disinfection and created new internal systems for patient and team safety—acrylic partitions at the front desk, touchless soap dispensers, online patient forms, virtual consultations, etc. We still completed all the originally planned aesthetic upgrades, but they weren’t as appreciated as the infection control measures.

Top Products

Tekscan T-scan Novus. This device provides digital occlusal analysis to objectively balance a patient’s bite after Invisalign, implant restoration and anything from a single crown to a fullmouth rehabilitation. I’ve used this device since 2005.

Cerec by Dentsply Sirona. Same-day crowns and onlays have been a very positive things for our practice during the pandemic. I’ve used this product since 2011.

SLR Canon 70D camera. When you do a lot of cometic dentistry, taking before-and-after pictures is useful for many indications such as lab communication, patient education, marketing and medical-legal documentation. I’ve used this camera since 2004.

Align iTero scanner. Invisalign has been a big part of our treatment planning since 2003, but now with time-lapse features, all patients can now be objectively evaluated for any changes over time.

Orascoptic loupes and Spark headlight. Having good light and visibility allows me to do the best dentistry I can using the best tools available.

Any advice for dentists who want remodel their practices?

If you’re leasing your space, plan a remodel around renewing your lease. Use a leasing agent who will negotiate on your behalf; this should cost you $0, because they get paid by the landlord. The longer the lease you renew, the more your landlord will negotiate with you for tenant improvement dollars. Commercial real estate has been especially hurt by the pandemic and you should be in an excellent position to negotiate a decent amount for lease-hold improvements. Make sure you get at least two or three bids for the remodel—and do it early, so you know how much to budget for (tenant improvement dollars). This will be important when negotiating with your landlord.

Consider future technologies and space needed for scanners and other mobile cart storage. You spend most of your life in your practice; make sure you love the design and the environment you are creating. Hire a design specialist if you don’t have an eye for it.

Did you have any issues?

The process itself was a smooth experience. The most concerning issue we had was that our building got looted the Sunday night before our planned first day back in the office after being closed. I was aware that looters had broken into Macy’s, on the first floor, but I didn’t know if they had reached the remainder of the mall or up to the ninth floor, where my office is located. Thankfully, they only breached the first floor.

We extended our close date for an additional three days and had our soft opening on June 4 to get the team acquainted with all the new changes and procedures. This was a major setback, but considering this was not an isolated incident and so many other businesses and people were affected, I was just thankful we were able to go back to work.

You describe your practice as very “tech-heavy.” What does that entail?

Water Tower Dental Care has always been intrigued by new technology and how to implement it for better patient care. If a technology can make procedures more comfortable, more efficient and more profitable, we evaluate it and see if it makes sense to invest in it.

Our current work flows are centered around our current technology. Every new patient gets a complete 12-photo series using a Canon SLR camera, digital FMX or 3D CBCT with four bitewings. They also receive an oral cancer screening with Velscope, an oral health scan using an iTero scanner for future time-lapse comparison and oral salivary testing when indicated.

We use the Sirona Primescan AC unit for any indirect CAD/CAM restorations, along with the MiYo liquid ceramic, creating lifelike restorations. And finally, after completing any quadrant, full-arch/-mouth rehabilitation or postorthodontic treatment, my favorite technology of all is the Tekscan digital occlusal pressure sensor. This technology is what I feel separates our office from many competitors. This is an exciting time to be a dentist! I feel there is a constant influx of new and improving technologies.

What does a typical day at your practice look like?

We work 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and start each morning with a detailed team meeting about that day, the previous day and any upcoming openings. It’s important for the entire team to know who’s coming in, for which procedures. The meetings are essential in creating a phenomenal experience for patients. We make sure each one is seen on time and finished on time. Timelines, comfort management and relationship building are all intentional parts of each day.

The success of our practice depends on its team. Each individual is critical in his or her role, but we’re all cross-trained to a degree and know how to address any situation that may arise. All team members are empowered to make their own decisions on how to support the practice and create that outstanding patient experience. Our team lives by our mission statement: “As a team we provide comprehensive, aesthetically driven dental care in a truly comfortable environment, utilizing the latest technology and delivering ‘5 Star Service.’ Our goal is to create a consistent and outstanding patient experience that will leave each patient raving.”

What’s it like to practice on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile?

It was—and still is—an amazing experience. Obviously, the pandemic, social unrest and shift to online shopping have been major setbacks for many cities, and Chicago is no different. The city is gradually reopening to capacity and the vibe is definitely picking up.

I think it’s going to take some time, and innovative urban planning and leadership will be needed to reinvent the retail and restaurant aspect of the city. I believe the Magnificent Mile will still be a shopping destination to many popular flagship retail stores, but a bigger attraction will be Chicago’s entertainment and restaurants. People want to get out from behind their screens and masks and live life to the fullest after a year and a half of craziness.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

When I’m in the office, I’m laser-focused on the practice and patient care—I love being a dentist! The other hats I wear are husband and father. I’ve been married to my beautiful wife, Danielle, for 13 years and we have three wonderful boys: 9-year-old Trevor and Greyson and 7-year-old Caleb. The boys keep me on my toes and the most important job I truly have is raising them to be respectful men.

In my personal time, I enjoy weightlifting, cycling, kayaking, flying drones and cooking. Life is about balance and I strive to keep it on keel.

Tell us about some of your team’s work with humanitarian organizations.

Our team has changed the lives of not only our own patients but needy patients locally and internationally.

Our most distant humanitarian efforts were through the Smile for Life campaign via the Crown Council, in 2008 for a weeklong dental mission trip in the Dominican Republic. Our team helped children and adults get the needed dental care that was long overdue and very appreciated. We also believe that there are many underserved areas of Chicago.

We have worked with organizations such as Goldie’s Place, which helps homeless men and women get back on their feet so they are ready for reemployment interviews and that new job. The Innocent Project, through the Loyola University Chicago School of Law, is another organization we teamed up with that helps exonerated men and women who were wrongly convicted of serious crimes get back their lives. We helped these people get their smiles back after years of the most basic dental care through the correctional facilities.

And most recently, we teamed up with the Willow Creek Care Center through Willow Creek Church. They provide low-cost dental care to people of all ages and backgrounds. Everything from routine dental care to new dentures and crowns is available for these patients.

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