Making a difference: Jim Casper
Jolly Good Soda – now that’s cool!
October 20, 2025
LITTLE CHUTE – What began as a small-town dental office in 1945 has grown into a multigenerational pillar of the Little Chute community.
The roots of Scheske Family Dental, located at 607 Wilson St. in the heart of downtown, can be traced back to Dr. Elmer Hoffman, who opened the original practice in the same building nearly eight decades ago.
The practice was later run by Dr. Mike Ebben, followed by a partnership with Dr. Dann Pynenberg.
Dr. Matthew Scheske joined the team after completing dental school and later took full ownership of the practice and building.
Under his leadership, Scheske said two new dentists have joined the staff, continuing a long-standing commitment to local, patient-centered care.
The growing number of patients and team members, he said, has also allowed the practice to expand its range of services – which, in turn, has led to a need for renovation and expansion.
“The building we’re currently in has been a staple in downtown Little Chute for many, many years – and we are adding to our practice,” he said. “Our practice has grown a lot in terms of patient numbers and also team members.”
Early influence
Scheske said it was during high school that he first considered a career in dentistry – a path inspired by his uncle, who practiced in the field.
“I knew I wanted to do something in health care,” he said. “I think that dentistry is the perfect blend of art, science, engineering – and also a lot of psychology. I was attracted to that. I think dentistry is nice because one thing about my day is that I can walk in and see a three-year-old and then also a great-grandpa who’s 99 – in the same family.”
Scheske said Little Chute is an area rich in culture and family values.
“The one thing I always tell myself as I go through my career is remembering why I’m doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I think everyone has ups and downs in their careers. I say that some days are diamonds and some days are stones. But remembering what we do and why we do it in terms of helping people and being able to form connections and build bonds and relationships over your career – that is one of the reasons that I get excited about what I do every day.”
Comprehensive dental services
Scheske said one of the unique aspects of Scheske Family Dental is “we are able to offer most types of dentistry in one.”
“Dr. Taylor [McElwee] and Dr. Brandon [Coppersmith] and I are all general dentists, but we do have some sub-specialties that we are able to do from a treatment standpoint,” he said.
For example, Scheske said McElwee does conscious sedation.
“There’s about 30% of the population who are too scared to go to the dentist,” he said.
Even so, Scheske said dentistry has changed a great deal in recent years – and today, the focus is on making the experience a “straightforward and pain-free process.”
“But for those patients who have historical concerns, Taylor does do conscious sedation,” he said.
Scheske said Coppersmith’s sub-niche is orthodontic care with clear aligners, while he specializes in dental implants and full-mouth reconstruction.
Offering a range of services to the community, Scheske said, is important.
“I was born and raised in Appleton,” he said. “I went to Madison for my undergraduate and then to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for dental school. I’m really glad to be back in the area I grew up in – treating patients.”
Scheske said his wife, Emily, is also from Little Chute.
“It’s hard to be away from family, and we really like Northeast Wisconsin,” he said. “I was lucky enough to meet Pynenberg.”
All of the doctors at Scheske Family Dental, Scheske said, have their family connections in the area as well.
“It’s really nice to be a part of these people’s lives as they’ve grown,” he said. “I think that’s special in our location here.”
Scheske said the atmosphere at Scheske Family Dental is positive and balanced, built on strong teamwork and collaboration – an environment that the upcoming expansion will further enhance.
“We really enjoy working together, and we want to build a building that reflects what we do and can handle the capacity of patient workload that we need,” he said.
Expansion + renovation
Scheske said the expansion will double the clinic’s treatment rooms, from seven to 14.
According to Keller, Inc. – the architect and general contractor/builder for the project – the 3,700-square-foot addition and 3,500-square-foot renovation project incorporates the existing building as well as the parcel to the west of the existing property.
The project will consist of two phases to allow the new addition to be constructed first and then allow the existing building renovations to follow.
Scheske said the practice will continue to operate during construction with minimal interruptions to operations.
A groundbreaking ceremony took place in late August with a scheduled completion in spring 2026.
“I’ve been here for six years,” he said. “Pynenberg and I had grown the practice pretty significantly, and with Brandon and Taylor joining us, the practice has continued to grow to the point where we just don’t have enough space,” he said. “We have about 8,000 active patients, and it’s growing every month to where, physically, we just need more space.”
Scheske said the decision to expand started more than two years ago – a discussion that always included remaining in downtown Little Chute.
“We are right downtown Little Chute,” he said. “Our location is important to me, and I know it is important to a lot of our patient base.”
Rather than building a new facility outside of town, Scheske said he chose to purchase the neighboring property and immediately began planning the expansion.
“It was a vacant building and kind of an eyesore downtown for many, many years,” he said.
Though the building process in the historic downtown area presented some challenges, Scheske said they’ve been fortunate to have a strong team that has helped keep things running smoothly.
Balancing Scheske Family Dental’s culture with the demands of a growing patient base, Scheske said, does present an ongoing challenge.
“We want to keep that small-town feel, while still being able to see a patient base that is needed,” he said. “In dentistry, access to care is a problem wherever you are. I think it’s a complex issue. It’s a challenge for a lot of businesses.”
Maintaining that culture during growth, Scheske said, means always putting the patient’s best interests first – and treating patients like family.
“I think as long as we keep those core principles as we expand, I don’t think it’s an issue,” he said.
What’s next?
In addition to handling a large caseload, Scheske said that after 11 years, mentoring a new generation of dentists in his practice has become especially rewarding.
In large part, he said the expansion is designed to support the other dentists in reaching their individual practice goals.
That said, Scheske said their priority isn’t on numbers.
“We focus on the patient,” he said. “I think if we keep that core principle in mind, everything else falls in line. Always do what is right and what’s right for the patient.”
Scheske said he credits his parents and his faith in God for instilling in him the fundamental principle of always doing the right thing.
“I think the definition of integrity is doing the right thing when no one’s watching,” he said.
Scheske said running the practice has presented its fair share of challenges over the years.
“I took over this practice just before COVID-19,” he said. “We’ve had two of our employees who have had immediate family members die in the last five years. You can’t control in life what you can’t control. But ultimately, you know your faith in God will give you the ability to bounce back from that because you’re not going to be tested, and He ultimately is the controller of your fate.”
For more on Scheske Family Dental, visit dentistlittlechutewi.com.
