Hometown Dental opens in Greencastle

Hometown Dental staff gathered in front of the company sign to celebrate their grand opening with Greencastle Chamber of Commerce members and officials last week. Cutting the ribbon are Dr. Dennis Knuth with wife Emily and daughter Ellie (being held by Mayor Sue Murray). Others from left to right are Tammy Amor, Executive Director of the Greencastle Chamber; Gloria Myers with Hometown Dental; Matt Welker with Welker Insurance; Marilyn Taylor and Lois Wilson, Hometown Dental; Amy Doan, President of the Greencastle Chamber board; Jennifer Taylor, Hometown Dental; Steve Jones with Coldwell Banker and father of Emily Knuth; Ellie Knuth; Mayor Sue Murray; Meredith Williamson with Spine Echols Design Group; Laurie Hardwick, City Attorney; Dustin Rumple, Shelter Insurance; David Wood with Wood Building; Emily and Dr. Dennis Knuth; Dustin Rumple with Shelter Insurance; and Jinsie Bingham, Greencastle City Council.

GREENCASTLE -- Hometown Dental celebrated the opening of their practice with a ribbon cutting recently. Dr. Dennis Knuth moved to Greencastle with his wife Emily, a longtime resident of Putnam County.

Knuth took over the practice that belonged to Dr. Jerry Travelstead who died unexpectedly two and a half years ago.

After Travelstead's death his staff kept the practice alive with temporary dentists. Knuth heard about the practice from his father-in-law Steve Jones about a year before he finished dental school.

"Dad heard about the practice and told us about it, but Dennis was still a year away from graduating," said Knuth's wife Emily. "We decided we would see if it was still available when he finished school."

It was available, and the couple, along with their daughter Ellie, made the move to Greencastle.

"Coming back seemed very natural. Dennis prompted me to come home," added Emily who is a 1995 graduate of Greencastle High School and 1999 DePauw University graduate.

Dennis is from Beaver Creek, Ohio. He worked as an electrical engineer for a short time after graduating from college. After a few years he decided to go to dental school.


Since buying the practice, Knuth has remodeled and updated the waiting room and patient rooms, along with the bathroom and break room.

Meredith Williamson with Spine Echols Design Group helped the couple finalize and implement their remodel.

The practice is open Mondays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to noon. Knuth plans to expand hours as the practice continues to grow.

Services offered include complete dental care from cleanings to crown and bridge work. He hopes to add orthodontics to the practice and add more pediatric and family patients.

"It means a lot to me to be here. To carry on what Dr. Groff started so long ago. I like knowing I'm continuing that legacy of care," said Knuth. "My wife's family goes back to the 1820s in this area and that is another special piece for us."


"We'll be offering new services, convenience and payment option plans. We hope to expand services, hours and payment options. We're not just building a practice, we are investing in the community," said Knuth.

Knuth is a member of the American Dental Association, Indiana Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce and the Putnam County Museum.

Hometown Dental is located at 1113 Indianapolis Road, Greencastle. They can be reached at 653-4081.