Mortenson Family Dental - Celebrating 34 Years!

The very first Mortenson Family Dental office sat on Main Street in Middletown, KY. It first opened in June 1979.

As Mortenson Family Dental celebrates 34 years, it's at times hard for the Dr. Wayne and Sue Mortenson to believe how far they've come. 

Dentistry wasn’t the first career choice for Wayne. With a degree in agriculture from the University of Arizona, he became a teacher for about three years and then went to work for the former Ralston Purina Co. around 1968, writing feed formulas for milk production on dairy farms.

The following year, they returned to his family’s cattle ranch in Elfrida, Ariz., to farm. Wayne grew up the oldest of five brothers in the tiny town, which is about 20 miles from the Mexican border.

Sue and Dr. Wayne Mortenson

In the 1960s, farmers from Texas moved into the area and started irrigating and drained the water basin which made farming exceedingly more difficult. With water becoming more expensive and harder to come by,  Wayne and Sue considered other options. Wayne always had been interested in dentistry and friends in the profession enjoyed the work. With the support of Sue, Wayne decided he was going to attend dental school. 

Dr. Wayne was accepted to a number of dental schools but chose the University of Louisville, in part because the city seemed like a good place for the Mortenson's to raise their four children. They moved to Louisville in 1975 and bought a house in St. Matthews, but the challenges didn’t end there.

Wayne went to school during the day and worked nights at New Orleans East restaurant. Sue Mortenson baby-sat other people’s children during the day and worked at J.C. Penney and Arby’s.

Dr. Wayne and Sue's story is a testament to hard work paying off. Dentistry has been good to Dr. Wayne and his family. The Mortenson's three sons followed their father's suit and graduated from University of Louisville's School of Dentistry. Today, Brent Mortenson, Jeff Mortenson and Todd Mortenson work for Mortenson Family Dental, along with Dr. Will Engilman, an orthodontist and husband of Wayne and Sue's daughter. 

Even with a successful dental career, with almost 50 offices in the Louisville and Southern Indiana area, Dr. Wayne never quite shook the farming bug. Much of his spare time is spent tending to animals or plowing fields. 

The Mortenson's attribute much of their success to the power of giving back to their employees and their community. They have emphasized the importance of giving throughout their lifetime and incorporate their charitable values into Mortenson Family Dental. Each year since 1998, Mortenson Family Dental has hosted a campaign for the Smiles For Life non-profit by donating all proceeds from dental whitening from March through June, raising more than $1,000,000 to date. Locally, the Smiles for Life program supports Kosair Children’s Hospital, School Choice Scholarships and WaterStep. Quarterly, Mortenson Family Dental provides free dentistry at various offices for those unable to afford a visit. For staff, Mortenson offers an employee stock ownership plan, and each year, the company holds a corporate summit for Mortenson employees and regional partners. Wayne and Sue find great importance in making their employees feel great about themselves. Sue says, “I feel like if I can make [our teams] feel better, then [they'll] be kinder and more in-tune to our patients.”

Aside from farming, gardening and giving back to their community, Dr. Wayne and Sue spend much of their free time with family. They have four children, all of whom live in the Louisville area, and 13 grandchildren.

Dr. Wayne and "Mama Sue," congratulations on an amazing 34 years! Thank you for your unwavering leadership and sincere dedication to improving the lives of your employees and your community. Here's to many more great years! 

Leave your congrats in the comments below. 

Sources: "Giving the Gift of Smiles" The Voice Tribune; "Dr. O. Wayne Mortenson has grown a small dental practice into a local empire"