Our caring dentists and team are devoted to your smile. We love welcoming patients of all ages to our office and go above and beyond to create a positive and welcoming atmosphere where you can feel at ease while receiving treatment. We invite you to call Kusek Family & Implant Dentistry to learn more about dental care in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and make an appointment with Dr. Edward Kusek and Dr. Andrew Schuiteman. We look forward to meeting you soon!
Administrative Assistants
Vicki
Vicki has always been obsessed with teeth, so a career in dentistry seemed only natural! She began as a clinical assistant, then moved into the administrative side, and has been with us since 1995.
Vicki takes pride in helping patients afford the dental care that they deserve, and has attended many hours of continuing education with focus on maximizing patient benefits. She says she appreciates being part of a dental practice that provides the highest quality and latest technology.
Vicki loved growing up in the tiny town of Ethan, South Dakota. She and her husband have three grown sons, two daughters-in-law and eight grandchildren!
Her passion is her grandchildren, whatever they’re involved in, and making memories with them. Spare time might be spent reading, going for walks, or having movie or game night.
Heather
We asked Heather what she likes to do in her free time. “Free time is often consumed with my three kids and their many activities, but we also have fun walking to the park and playing board games or yard games, depending on the weather”.
Heather grew up in Alvord, IA and attended Black Hills State University. Her degree in history education has dubbed her the history geek in the office, and can be heard “educating” us with history facts! She has a twin sister who has been a dental hygienist for 10 years, and her knowledge and passion for dentistry peaked Heather’s interest. The rest is history!
Heather has taken special notice and satisfaction in patients’ demeanors from start of a treatment plan to finish. “They can go from disliking the appearance of their smile to leaving our office with the confidence to show it off!”
When she does have time to herself, she likes to golf, run, play volleyball, and participate in friends and family game nights.
Sierra
Sierra has loved going to the dentist since childhood, so she was naturally pointed in that direction as a career! She was raised in the SE South Dakota / NW Iowa area, and has lived in Harrisburg, Sioux Falls, Larchwood, Rock Rapids, and Phoenix. She received her education from Lake Area Technical College.
Her family is very important to her, especially her dog, Royal, and her nephews. She loves to hang out with the nephews and cheer them on in their various sporting events.
Sierra is a great asset to the administrative team with her knowledge of insurance plans and treatment planning. She finds it satisfying to help patients get the maximum benefit possible!
Travel is high on her list of favorite things, along with hiking and hot yoga sculpt. You also may find her crafting during those cold South Dakota winter days, which she is NOT a fan of!
Hygienists
Amanda
Amanda’s interest in dental hygiene grew slowly through osmosis – her dad is Dr. Kusek! As a little girl, she was invited to travel with her dad to his many continuing education courses, and eventually, the love of dentistry was born!
She completed her bachelor degree in dental hygiene at the University of South Dakota. She also received her Fellowship from the Academy of Laser Dentistry. She feels good about helping people with their smiles and she loves the interaction with our patients!
Amanda now resides in Harrisburg, SD with her husband. They have four daughters and two dogs, ALSO females, which makes for a very interesting life for Chris!
She likes gardening and being outside with the girls, but when we asked Amanda what she enjoyed doing in her free time, she just laughed at us!!
David
David was raised in Vermillion, SD and will tell you that it was a wonderful place to grow up. His interest in dentistry was influenced by his mom who was a chairside dental assistant for many years.
He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in dental hygiene at the University of South Dakota, and has worked in dentistry since 1998.
You can find David at many local drag races and car shows. Other interests include Coyote sports, Cornhusker sports, motorsports and traveling. David has spent time following the stock market and investing, and has even attended the Berkshire Hathaway Meeting!
Patty
Patty is our dog whisperer! She and her husband have three terrier mixes that are rescued and oh so loved! When asked to name her favorite pastime, she said spending time with family and cuddling/walking her pups. After her pups have been properly doted on, she also likes to try new restaurants and go boating and camping.
She was born and raised in Sioux Falls, SD and completed her bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene at the University of South Dakota. She started her career in 2009 in Denver, CO. She worked in a periodontal office for 11 years and enjoyed helping patients achieve better oral health. She enjoys educating people on their oral health and helping them feel more confident about their smile. She is glad to be back in South Dakota and closer to family.
Oh, and sorry, puppies, you’ve got some stiff competition in February 2023. Patty and Travis are expecting their first baby!
Dental Assistants
Dawn
Dawn is originally from Sisseton, SD and relocated to Sioux Falls in 2013. Her Associate of Applied Sciences in Dental Assisting from Lake Area Tech in Watertown was completed in 2009 and Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Examination (DAANCE) was completed in 2019. She values being a part of making sure all our patients have confidence in their smile. She is fascinated by dentistry and the ability to continue to learn and evolve in the field.
Fitness and cooking are some of Dawn’s favorite things. She also likes to crochet! She and her husband have two boys and two mini dachshunds.
When Dawn has free time, you might find her at Great Shots hitting balls. She also enjoys hiking and loves traveling with her hubby.
Belle
“I always loved the dentist office. The exceptional care I received strongly influenced my choice to pursue a dental career.” Ahh, that’s such nice thing to say about your dentist office! Who did you say your dentist was? Oh, it was Kusek Family & Implant Dentistry!! Do we know how to grow our patients or what?!
Seriously, we are so pleased to add Belle to our staff this past year! She graduated from the dental assisting program at Southeast Technical College right here in Sioux Falls, where she was born and raised.
Belle has three sisters, “some awesome parents”, and many cats over the years.
She likes to go camping and hiking. She enjoys cooking new and different meals and cuddling with her cat. Her guilty pleasures are window shopping and binge watching TV shows.
Judith
Judith is a friendly familiar face to many of our patients, and that’s because she has been with our practice for 25+ years! She grew up in Rock Valley, Iowa, graduated from Briar Cliff College, and later moved to Sioux Falls. Judith holds certification in dental assisting from the Dental Assistant National Board (DANB) and the Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Examination (DAANCE).
She has one son and a wonderful daughter-in-law who has blessed her with an amazing grandson. Judith said one of her interests is knowing her Marvel characters so she can pass her grandson’s random quizzes! She likes to quilt and applique and she loves tending to her flowers in the spring & summer. She loves to read, but her favorite pastime? Family & friends, of course, and she will tell you there’s no such thing as too much time spent that way.
When asked how she feels about dentistry as a career, Judith says she loves to see how a smile can impact a person’s life and outlook. She feels that we have the best patients, and she appreciates Dr. Kusek’s support with all the continuing education that is made available for the entire office.
Amanda
Amanda (Mandy) is another one of our busy moms with three children! As if a 17 year old, a 12 year old, and an 8 year old aren’t enough, she and her boyfriend also have two dogs and two cats!
Her hometown is Luverne, Minnesota. She became interested in dentistry and started her journey in 2017 by taking some dental assisting classes. Liked it, loved it, continued on from there and graduated from Lake Area Tech in 2020!
Relaxing at home is Mandy’s happy place. Her hobby is shopping (Yes, that can be a hobby!), and traveling, or just hanging out with family and friends is the best!
Aurelia
Aurelia is our most recent addition to the clinical assistant team! She graduated from Lake Area Technical College Dental Assisting program in 2023. She also brings a very special element to our office with her ability to speak fluent Spanish!
Aurelia grew up in Volga, SD with a family of eight, who she says are very loud! She enjoys traveling and food tasting. Trivia is her jam! She loves hearing it, watching it, AND participating in it!!
One of her favorite pastimes include walks with Taco and Apollo, her two playful pups! She also likes the challenge of putting 3-D puzzles together!
It is Aurelia’s belief that a smile is any person’s most important feature. She considers it a privilege to be a part of helping people achieve the best oral health AND a smile that they will be proud of and share with the world!!
Alexis
Alexis (Lexy) is a new mommy! Her daughter was born in August 2022. She also has a very loved & spoiled dog named Amada.
She started out as a nursing student, but realized she wanted something a little different. According to Lexy, dentistry seems to be a happy medium between healthcare and creativity. She recently completed her associate’s degree in dental assisting from Lake Area Technical College and the Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Examination (DAANCE). Her next goal is the DANB (Dental Assistant National Board) certification.
Lexy says she is always interested in learning about anything she can. Reading and drawing capture her attention, and she loves finding crafts and recipes on Pinterest that she has the best intentions for trying, but usually never gets to!
A new baby doesn’t leave a lot of Lexy time, but she will try to relax watching Netflix, shopping (for baby!), and hanging out with her canine princess!