Patterson Technology Center: Virtual Tour

Patterson Companies, Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its new Patterson Technology Center (PTC) October 27 in Effingham, Ill. The 100,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility reinforces the Company’s commitment to technology and customer support – and to being a differentiator for dental practices that partner with Patterson Dental for their software and technology needs. The PTC supports Eaglesoft practice management and digital software, CAESY patient education, digital panoramic X-ray and sensors, Patterson-branded computer hardware and exclusive Patterson products, such as CEREC and Schick.

The new three-level facility, which opened on September 26 at its new address (1201 Althoff Drive in Effingham), strengthens the comprehensive software development, digital technology and call center support capabilities in the markets served by Patterson Dental, Webster Veterinary and Patterson Medical – the businesses that comprise Patterson Companies.

“With leading-edge technology development and support capabilities, there’s nothing quite like the PTC in our industry,” said Patterson Dental President Paul Guggenheim. “We look forward to working with our customers to ensure that their practice and patient experience are second to none and that new technologies will help their practice continue to grow and evolve in the future.”

The PTC staff of nearly 400 specially trained technical support representatives, software developers, implementation experts and others have the most advanced tools at their fingertips – all designed to support the experience dental professionals have using technology.The new PTC, which has the capacity for about 600 employees, features a simulated dental environment with the newest technology products and seamless integration capabilities. Additional upgrades include expanded quality assurance and usability labs for testing software and observing users as they navigate the software; SMART Board technology; and expanded resource rooms equipped with products to facilitate customer service and ongoing hands-on training and to showcase the innovation of manufacturer partners.

“This facility was built for our customers and presents a tremendous growth opportunity,” said Pam Hemmen, Patterson Companies vice president, technology services. “With the rapid technology changes, we are more than prepared to meet and exceed the needs of our customers and guide them in using technology to enhance patient care. We believe this cutting-edge environment will also serve to continue inspiring innovation in our employees who will, in turn, develop new and improved products and services for our customers.”

While the PTC’s effect on customers is wide-ranging, extensive measures have been taken to ensure that its impact on the environment is minimal. The PTC was designed and constructed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, an internationally recognized green building certification system. Green measures range from building materials made of mainly recycled content, to energy-efficient systems and water-use reduction strategies, to a habitable green roof that reduces heat and improves storm water collection.

The PTC started as a dental software development business called EagleSoft, Inc. in 1993. When acquired by Patterson in 1997, EagleSoft had 25 employees and 1,000 customers. Today, the PTC has over 370 employees, serving more than 80,000 customers nationwide.