With a unique background in healthcare and medical technology, Kristin Dietzler takes on her role as president of Patterson Dental with a clear vision and the drive to deliver transformative change. Having recently stepped into her position, her insights and aspirations reflect her unique background.
Kristin has deep Midwestern roots and values. Born and raised in Minnesota, she began her career in the state working as a sales representative for a small medical device firm. She was quickly promoted to regional management, then national account management, and ultimately executive leadership roles. She has held positions such as zone vice president and vice president of sales. Later, Kristin worked for Carestream — not in its dental division but in medical imaging — where she ran operations for the Americas.
Patterson’s mission aligned perfectly with Kristin’s background, offering her the chance to leverage her expertise to address the complexities of dentistry.
As Patterson prides itself on having a multi-segment approach to the dental market, bringing technology and business services to the different customers they serve, from single location to multi-location organizations of all sizes, they are also excited to utilize Kristen’s vast experience leading multi-faceted sales organizations.
Reflecting on her approach to leadership, Kristin says, “The people around me are the most important thing when you’re driving a business. Trust and collaboration with the team are crucial.”
Her vision for Patterson centers on this principle: fostering collaboration and building meaningful relationships within the team to drive the company forward.
In her first weeks at Patterson, Kristin met with over 30 customers in person and spent time in the field with technicians and sales representatives. This hands-on approach was more than just an introduction — it was her way of uncovering both the challenges and the opportunities directly from the source.
“I’m very inquisitive,” she explains.
“I’m asking questions to understand where there are opportunities for improvement.”
This focus on understanding has already begun shaping her leadership strategy at Patterson.
Kristin’s early interactions revealed a strong desire for change within the industry.
“I’ve been humbled by how much people want to embrace change,” she says.
“They all see there’s a need for it, but nobody quite knows how to get there yet. The greatest part is that everybody wants to participate and provide ideas. It’s so encouraging and energizing.”
Kristin’s experience in healthcare gives her a refreshing perspective on the dental industry’s current state. She is able to see clear
opportunities to help Patterson bridge the gap between dentistry and other industries. She is determined to position Patterson as a leader in driving these advancements.
Kristin envisions Patterson as a driving force in streamlining operations to help private practices and DSOs build, grow, optimize, and sustain their practices. By tackling challenges like hiring and training staff and navigating reimbursement complexities, she believes the company can equip dentists with the resources they need to focus entirely on their patients and deliver the exceptional care possible.
Patterson is proud to partner with teams to offer guidance and support on how to improve productivity and efficiencies with an eye towards improving overall operations. “We want to streamline a lot of back-office components to help teams and DSO’s thrive,” she explains.
While Patterson has traditionally been a distributor, she envisions the company expanding its portfolio to include innovative tools and
services that address broader industry needs. Their role is to deliver trusted expertise and unrivaled support, transcending products and pricing.
Kristin is determined to elevate Patterson’s offerings with innovations that redefine patient care. One standout example is the Solea All-Tissue Laser by Convergent Dental, a cutting-edge technology designed for anesthesia-, blood-, and pain-free procedures in hard and soft tissue. Solea elevates the patient experience for all ages and also provides practices opportunities to expand into new procedures. By introducing advanced technologies such as this, she aims not just to improve care but to revolutionize how dentists approach their practice, ensuring patients experience better and more effective treatments.
“We want to partner with DSO leaders by showing them solutions to improve their lives, their practices and their patients’ lives — we will provide tools that modernize what they are already doing.”
She also sees potential for Patterson to play a role in addressing some of the dental industry’s most pressing challenges, such as the shortage of hygienists and the need for greater public understanding of oral health’s impact on overall health.
“Even if the percentage of people in the U.S. regularly seeing a dentist rises from 40% to 60%, we still wouldn’t have enough people to meet that demand,” she explains. “How do we get more people involved in this crucial industry to supply necessary care?”
To get there, Kristin believes trust and collaboration are the cornerstones of effective leadership, and it is how she’s building her team. She wants her team to feel empowered to take calculated risks, deliver bold solutions, and encourage innovation to advance the dental industry.
This openness to experimentation has already sparked conversations with manufacturers about new approaches to address shared challenges.
“When you have that type of open conversation with people as a leader, there is no limit,” she remarks.
Kristin is setting an ambitious course for Patterson, driving a new go-to-market strategy that sharpens its competitive edge. She is assembling specialized teams to deliver tailored support for dentists and harnessing the power of data and artificial intelligence to revolutionize decision-making across the organization and in the dental industry.
Kristin’s approach to leadership reflects her drive to inspire others and make a tangible impact. In particular, for women and aspiring leaders, she emphasizes the importance of seizing opportunities without waiting for everything to be perfectly in place. Be ready to try new things and stretch ourselves.
“Years ago, I had a job opening for a VP of marketing, I knew exactly who I wanted for the job,” she recalls.
“But that person didn’t apply because she didn’t think she met every requirement. So, I walked down to her office and said, ‘Why aren’t you applying?’”
“No one gets a job and knows everything about it. That’s not how it works,” she says. “You learn in jobs. Anytime you can do something outside your comfort zone to get exposure and experience, do it.”
Kristin encourages others to take on challenges outside their comfort zones and seek mentorship and growth opportunities.
As Kristin settles into her role at Patterson, her vision and determination are evident. She is on the ground, embracing the opportunities and challenges ahead. Her hands-on approach, forward-thinking vision, and focus on collaboration position her to drive meaningful change at Patterson, for DSOs, and in the dental industry at large.
“At the end of the day, my strongest motivation is to see the people around me succeed. I love a team that sees the vision and knows exactly what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. That’s how you build success.”
