Brigette N. Koetter, DDS

Photos by David Thompson and Meredith Joyce Photography

By Meredith Knight

Dr. Brigette Koetter loves living and working in the same community. “Rockwall is a big town with a small-town heart,” she said. “I love serving my neighbors, whether I’ve met them yet or not.”

As a girl, she knew she wanted to become a doctor. When she was old enough, her parents recommended she try out the field. So at age 15, she began working for a local orthodontist. “I loved the rapport she had with her patients,” she said. “She created the kind of atmosphere patients of all ages enjoyed visiting. I could totally see myself working in dentistry.”

Now, with her own family dental practice, she still can’t believe how much fun it is to get up and go to work. “I love that my three kids see what a positive thing work can be,” she said. “They know how much I enjoy my career and how rewarding it is for me and my staff to help our patients. One of the greatest compliments we can receive is when a current patient recommends someone to us. We’ve also been at this just long enough that we’re starting to have kids who grew up in our practice now bringing their own kids to us. What better compliment could there be?”

Dr. Koetter has experienced a lot of changes and advancement, since she first opened her private practice in 2008. An insatiable learner, she enjoys investigating new technologies, as they’ve come along, and investing in the ones she believes will enhance her patient’s dental experience. Her latest offering is a digital scanner to replace gooey impressions and in-house crown milling, so patients can go home with their crown the same day as their appointment. No more unreliable temporary crowns. She also offers:

Bonding, Cosmetic Fillings, and Sealants
Bridges and All-porcelain Crowns
Root Canal Treatment
Flexible Partial Dentures
Porcelain Veneers
Tooth Whitening
Implant Restoration
Nonsurgical Gum Treatments
Nightguards and Mouthguards
Invisalign Clear Tooth Aligners

Dr. Koetter can’t say enough about her outstanding staff. And they must be content working for her because, in an industry with historically high turnover, her employees have been with her for years. “My assistants have been with me for nine years and 13 years,” she said. “My hygienists have been with me 13, 11, eight, seven, and five years. I hear compliments on them, all the time. I feel so blessed to have a team that shares my patient-first philosophy. They’re all about making our patients comfortable, educating them about optimum oral health, and making sure their dental experience is the best it can be.”

Dr. Koetter feels fortunate to have a dental chicken right in her own family. “I always loved going to our family dentist as a kid, but my brother has a very real phobia about sitting in the dental chair,” she said. “I don’t think he’d mind me saying he’s the most scared patient I have. But I can learn from this. He’s honest with me about how he feels, and it helps me better understand where some of my patients are coming from when they experience anxiety in my chair. Some have had bad experiences in the past and their anxiety is very real to them. Dentistry has advanced to the point that there’s no reason a trip to the dentist can’t be a pleasant—even fun—experience. The sweetest words I can hear some days are, ‘Wow, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.’”

Dr. Koetter believes the best thing she and her staff can do for these patients is to put them back in control. “We let them know from the beginning that we can stop any time they want us to,” she said. “If they need a bathroom break or just to take a breather, they set the pace from beginning to end. We explain every treatment option and let them know what to expect every step of the way. We also have options like nitrous to take the edge off.”

When not on the job, Dr. Koetter is a devoted mom of a 15, 11, and two-year-old. She serves on the board of the National Charity League where she volunteers alongside her daughter. Through the league, the two are able to do their part volunteering for worthy causes such as Meals on Wheels, Helping Hands, Children’s Advocacy Center, Patriot Paws, and several more local nonprofits. “There are so many materialistic things a mother and daughter can do together,” she said, “but this is something that helps develop her empathy and teaches her to give back of the gifts she’s been given.” Dr. Koetter’s also always eager to serve as a mentor to young people considering a dental career and to support her patients’ endeavors, whether it’s sponsoring their ball team or school fundraiser, or donating to the causes that are important to them.

“My mom always said, ‘You can do anything you set your mind to,’” Dr. Koetter said. “She taught me that through hard work and passion for my chosen career I could achieve whatever I wanted. I had my daughter in dental school and was lucky to have a lot of people who’d gone before me and were eager to share the experienced they’d lived with me. I learned from the people who were willing to teach. Now I try to do the same for those coming after me.”

“I think women bring a special quality to dentistry,” Dr. Koetter said. “We’re in a position to really impact someone’s life, whether it’s relieving the pain of a patient with a toothache or performing a complete mouth reconstruction. Dentistry also allows me time to care for my patients, while still having plenty of time for my kids and husband. And something my dad taught me has certainly proven true—if you have a passion for the work you do, it will never feel like work.”