Arcadia Dental, Kalamazoo, MI

Our staff want you to know a little more about their activities both in and out of the office.

Rusel Hollister, D.D.S., M.S.:

I am a native of California, I lived most of my first 24 years a half mile from Disneyland, where my youth was filled with the beaches, mountains and desserts of Southern California. I attended the University of California Irvine for my Bachelor of Science with Honors in the Biological Sciences (1972), and then for my Master of Science in Medical Pharmacology & Toxicology (1974). I gladly left California in late '74 when I was offered a research position at The Upjohn Company (before Upjohn became Pharmacia which become Pfizer). After three years in research, I decided to use my surgical skills to provide health care for people.

In 1977, I went to the University of Detroit Dental School, where, after four long years, I graduated in 1981 with my Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree. I was now a dentist. When I first visited Michigan in '74, I was greatly impressed with friendly & kind residents of the Kalamazoo area, so I wanted to return to Kalamazoo to start my dental practice. Ann, my wife, was born in Kalamazoo, so the decision to move back to Kalamazoo was an easy one. I worked for another dentist as an associate for the first one & a half years, then in 1983, we opened our office on the downtown Kalamazoo Mall. We moved to our present location on KL Ave. in 1995. Ann has been my dental assistant since we began our dental practice and now does much of the laboratory work.

Ann and Rus were married in the Kalamazoo Nature Center's bird watching room in 1975. Our daughter, Eleanor, was born in 1989, and our son, Richard, was born in 1991. Ann & I enjoy winter and summer sports, camping, hiking and road trips. Ann is one of the two Kalamazoo County 4-H Poultry Superintendents and Rus became a Certified Shooting Coach and Instructor and coaches the 4-H Junior Shooting Team, we both go to Michigan and National competitions and Championships. Ann has taken up a new sport in the last couple years, downhill skiing, and now she teaches skiing. We live on a small farm in Cooper Township, where we breed and raise chickens and turkeys, and we raise beef cattle and have a horse.

Ann Hollister:

Ann is a native of Kalamazoo, she was in the last class to graduate from the "Old" Kalamazoo Central. She graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Recreation Science at Western Michigan University.

I have been a dental assistant with Rus since he started dentistry in 1981. Over the years as I learned more and more, I began taking over some of the laboratory tasks.

I have become an avid skier over the past several years, taking many advanced lessons from advanced fellow ski instructors at the slope. This started when Rus & I became adult chaperons for the weekly Plainwell Schools' Ski Club outings; Rus stayed inside while I began going out onto the slopes. I alsothoroughly enjoy being one of two Poultry Superintendents for the Kalamazoo County 4-H Program. In the summer, my garden is my major project, I enjoy growing flowers, vegetables and fruits.

Sharon Kridler:

I am the receptionist and business office manager for Dr. Hollister, since I started in 2005. I have three children, son Michael is a graduate of the Hobart Welding Institute in Ohio, daughters Michelle and Megan both attend the Gobles Public Schools, where I am active with sporting events, Parent's Club and Band Boosters. I am also involved with the children's programs at Covey Hill Baptist Church.

Sharon has also been an active leader for over 10 years with the VanBuren Youth Fair with horses and goats. She is a leader with the Young Explorers 4-H Club in Gobles and is the assistant 4-H Goat Superintendent VanBuren County Fair. Sharon enjoys walking outdoors, camping, gardening, and horseback riding, but she loves cooking and reading.

Teri Blalock:

I am a dental hygienist and I have worked for Dr. Hollister since 1997, before that I also worked at the Kalamazoo County Dental Clinic. I graduated from the Dental Hygiene Program with my Registered Dental Hygiene degree a few years ago.
My husband and I are raising our two boys born in 1998 & 2001 in Schoolcraft. The boys keep us busy with all of their sporting activities. We have lived in Michigan our entire lives, and we enjoy the change of seasons and the outdoors.

Other Staff that work in the office, but mostly work with the other doctor:

Paula a Dental Hygienist who occaisionally will see some of Dr. Hollister's patients.

Jodie a Dental Hygienist who occaisionally will see some of Dr. Hollister's patients.

Hanna a Dental assistant and Insurance person.

Sharon with Jill in the front office.

Laser Use In Dentistry:

Most small cavities can be completed without numbing using a laser. The WaterlaseMD Laser can be used to numb the large majority of teeth by simply shining the low power laser light on the tooth. Then the laser can be used to get the cavity out of the tooth, or a regular dental drill can also be used. We have been using the laser in the office for 3 years now and nearly all the patients report the same when asked: "On a scale of 1-100, with 100 being very uncomfortable, how do you rate the laser just used?"

• I didn't feel a thing, I rate it zero discomfort.

• All I felt was some cold, maybe a two or a three.

• I didn't feel a thing, this is great, no pain at all.

• This is great, I really don't like being numbed up.

We have found that people do not like the feeling of being numb, and the laser is a great tool to get their small fillings done, pain-free without numbing.