Cavities, root canals and braces are just part of the job for Shawano dentist Rebecca Stevens.
So is community service and that’s one of the reasons her practice, Shawano Family Dentistry, was named Service Business of the Year for 2025. The Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce recognized Stevens and her staff Feb. 26 at the chamber’s annual banquet at the Menominee Casino Resort Convention Center in Keshena.
Stevens is a relative newcomer to the Shawano area, as she and her husband, Andrew, purchased the practice four years ago from the retiring Ralph Horsens.
The practice is currently located at 115 Alpine Court on the second floor of the Alpine Shores building but will move later this year to a new building to be constructed on Shawano’s east side.
“We were new to town, and when we were looking for a dental office, we knew we wanted to be a part of the community wherever we established a dental practice,” Stevens said. ‘He retired and sold the business to my husband and me. When we found Dr. Horsens and we got along very well, I knew that it was a right fit for our family.”
Stevens said she knew she wanted to serve the community where she and her family would eventually settle down.
“I didn’t want to have a dental practice and that’s it,” she said. “One of our core values is to do right. That not only means doing right with the patients in our office but also with our community.”
Shawano Family Dentistry’s community service includes Sharing Smiles, a program that Stevens started shortly after arriving.
“We collectively pick a population our office wants to give free dental care to each year,” Stevens said. “The first two years was veterans. Last year was clients of Safe Haven. We’ve given over $15,000 of free dental work to veterans each time. We’ve given about $20,000 of free care for any clients of Safe Haven.”
Stevens’ practice also donates to various causes, including the local Optimist group.
“I think we’ve hit almost every school teaching about oral hygiene and how to brush,” she said. “We’ve worked with SAYPro (Shawano Area Young Professionals) and donated to some of their events.”
That organization’s chairperson, Samantha Sperberg, nominated Shawano Family Dentistry for the award.
“Shawano Family Dentistry truly focuses on giving back, and it shines through in everything they do,” Sperberg wrote in her nomination letter to the chamber. “From what I’ve observed, it comes down to clear communication and strong relationships both within their team and throughout the community. They prioritize a healthy, supportive work environment and are always warm and welcoming, whether you meet them in the office or out in public.”
Stevens is originally from the West Coast and attended Marquette University’s dental school in Milwaukee. Her husband is from Racine and the family moved to Shawano from Hartford.
“We were looking (for a dental practice) in the Hartford area when I met Dr. Horsens,” she said. “In the summer, we’d drive to Lakewood. Andrew’s grandma built a cottage up there. If we were going to move, it was going to be more toward Lakewood. The company that we were using said, ‘Just go meet Dr. Horsens, once you meet him, it’s going to make sense.’ I said, ‘I’m not sure this is going to really work out, because we just bought our house in Hartford.’ I was about nine months pregnant and I said, ‘Yes, we’ll go meet him.’ Once we met him, there was an instance where we knew this was the right town.”
Stevens’ staff includes her husband, who runs the business part of the practice.
“When we first came to town, we had a newborn, and I was trying to do it all,” she said. “He helps me out so I can focus on dentistry.”
She said she is looking forward to moving to a larger location.
“It’s going to be so wheelchair-friendly,” she said. “We’re going to make it very convenient for wheelchairs and also for sedation cases. We’re going to have surgical rooms, and it’s going to be so nice for my team, too. Our office is so small now. We’re nice and cozy, and this will give us the opportunity to expand our services.”
Stevens said she and her staff are honored to be considered for a service award.
“I was telling my husband that it feels so weird to receive this award, because we don’t do what we do for recognition,” Stevens said. “I’m super excited not only for our team, but I couldn’t do this without my husband, who helps me a lot and has jumped in with our two toddlers.”
Stevens’ practice includes 13 employees.
“The people I have hired have embedded into their core values that we’re going to do what we can to help the community,” she said. “It means a lot. It’s a part of who we are. One of the reasons I became a dentist is to give back to the community and help those in need.
“I know it sounds cliche, but it really is what I strive for. I couldn’t imagine being a dentist who’s just here and clocks in and clocks out. Our purpose is to strive to make a difference in Shawano and the surrounding area.”
