By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News
When Adam Kristoff opened Cool Creek Family Dental a decade ago in River Place, his dream became reality.
“I wanted to make a life out of making people feel better,” Kristoff shared. “Dentistry… has an immediate effect on people. Taking someone self conscious about smiling… to making them look beautiful.”
One example of this is when a patient brought her mom into Cool Creek because her mom was losing her upper teeth. Kristoff worked on an implant solution.
Prior to the pandemic, “we got all of the bad stuff taken care of and out,” he said. But then the lockdowns hit and there was worry about virus exposure as the healing went on. It was a long, drawn out process because of the pandemic but eventually she got her temporary set of teeth and then her permanent restoration.
“It was slowed down but that wait made final delivery all the sweeter. It was a beautiful day, a life changing day,” said Kristoff, beaming about the day she walked out of the office with her permanent teeth.
In conjunction with its 10-year anniversary, Cool Creek is hosting Smile ATX in August to help the community.
Cool Creek is offering free dental care for people who have suffered during pandemic (see bottom of article for details) and “haven’t been able to seek care for their oral health,” Kristoff said.
“It’s our hope to give that little extra boost (to people as they) try to get back into the job market or eat without pain,” Kristoff said. “We want to get folks on track to get back to work.”
It’s his way of giving back.
“If this area can be so good to us, we want to be just as good back,” Kristoff said. “Personally it’s better to do (Smile ATX) than throw a big party.”
Through the years, Kristoff has given back in other ways: as a coach with Neighborhood Sports, a Pack 201 Cub Scout den leader, and a board member of Viper Nation Academic Booster. He has also found time to help teach an implant course at dental schools in San Antonio.
His family has supported him along the way. Kristoff’s wife Rachael is the Canyon Ridge Middle School nurse and their two sons are at Vandegrift High School, Adam is going to be a senior and Ethan a sophomore. The family lives in Steiner Ranch.
Raised in Houston, Kristoff has been visiting Austin since he was in grade school. He would come for bike races and scuba diving, 27 years ago he earned his scuba certification at Mansfield Dam park.
“I fell in love with this area and pledged to live here one day,” he said.
He graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS in biomedical science and attended The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Dentistry. He did his residency with the US Army and served for three years.
“I went active duty right before the 9/11 attacks and was proud to take care of the soldiers who were called to duty for that,” Kristoff said. His final post was Ft. Hood.
He started private practise in Tempe, Ariz., where they had some family but moved to Four Points 12 years ago, making good on his pledge so many years earlier.
Cool Creek was opened at 6414 River Place Blvd, Suite 101 in early August 2011.
Treating patients of all ages, Cool Creek is a full service dental office featuring exams, cleanings and fillings, the practice does higher level services like sedation, cosmetic dentistry, root canals, wisdom tooth extraction, dental implants, care for periodontal disease, dentures, Invisalign and restorations.
Through the last decade, Cool Creek has adopted and upgraded the latest proven technology. Digital impressions is one example that has gotten much better for such things as crowns.
“We barely are using X-rays and that helps us to be eco conscious,” Kristoff said. Now they have 3D imaging on site rather than going to an imaging center.
Cool Creek has grown from a staff of four to 11 over the decade. “Offering a stable livelihood for my staff, that’s gotten better and better,” Kristoff said. “We’re paying people more, adding jobs, giving better benefits.”
As he reflects on his 10 year mark, Kristoff sums it up well: “Professionally I’ve achieved every single thing I’ve set out to do.”
