Family-owned dental office planned in Oconomowoc

Construction of a 6,300-square foot dental office is planned for a vacant site in the Market Square development in Oconomowoc, northeast of Highway 67 (Summit Avenue) and Valley Road.

The dental office will neighbor Market Square’s existing businesses which include Qdoba, MOD Pizza, Noodles & Co., Jimmy John’s, Firestone and U.S. Bank, among others.

Behrend Dental will be owned by Dr. Rob Behrend and his son Sam Behrend, who will serve as the office’s primary provider. After 30 years in business, Rob sold his dental practice in Valparaiso, Indiana to a private equity firm and moved to Wisconsin to help Sam open his own practice. Sam will graduate from Marquette University School of Dentistry in May of 2026, two months before the office is expected to open.

The decision to open an office in Oconomowoc came from Sam’s love for the Lake Country area and its closeness to a major city, he said. Both he and Rob saw an opportunity in the area to open a family-owned business among the national brands that have opened franchises in Market Square.

The project will break ground in late June and is expected to be complete by July of 2026.

The building has already been approved by Oconomowoc’s Plan Commission and will be brought in front of the city’s Common Council for final approval this afternoon, according to Jason Gallo, city planner and zoning administrator for the city of Oconomowoc.

Rob, who owns the land, is working with Nashotah-based architecture firm MSI General on the project.

Behrend Dental would add to the growing list of Oconomowoc’s ongoing developments including Chicago-based HSA Commercial Real Estate’s plans to build a 226,321-square-foot speculative industrial building and Costco’s plans to open a store that could be Wisconsin’s largest yet.