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Dr. Kriston earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, graduating in 1987. Before dental school, he completed his undergraduate studies at UCLA, where he majored in history — a background that cultivated a love of research, literature, and the kind of analytical thinking that serves complex treatment planning well.
Throughout his career, Dr. Kriston has pursued advanced training at some of the most respected institutions in dentistry:
Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI Global). Comprehensive training in cosmetic dentistry, including smile design, veneer and crown aesthetics, and the integration of form and function in complex cosmetic cases.
The Dawson Academy. Training in occlusion (the science of how the bite functions), full mouth reconstruction, and TMJ diagnosis and treatment. The Dawson philosophy of complete dentistry — understanding the entire system of teeth, muscles, and joints — is foundational to how Dr. Kriston approaches complex cases.
Doctors of Conscious Sedation (DOCS). Original certification in oral conscious sedation over 20 years ago, with continuing education and recertification every two years since. Dr. Kriston holds a California oral conscious sedation permit — a credential that requires ongoing training, office inspections, and emergency preparedness that most general dentists do not pursue.
Resnick Implant Institute. Specialized training in dental implant treatment planning and restorative-driven implant techniques — the approach of designing the final restoration first, then determining where the implant must be placed to support it.
American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Past member and attendee of AACD continuing education curriculum in advanced cosmetic techniques.
Invisalign. Dr. Kriston was one of the very first general dentists trained in Invisalign, taking the first course ever offered to general practitioners. He had already been performing orthodontic treatment before Invisalign existed and has over 20 years of continuous Invisalign experience.
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Dr. Kriston began his dental career in Walnut Creek, California, in 1987, where he practiced for 18 years. In 2005, he moved his practice to Danville, where he has served the community for the past 20 years.
Dr. Kriston has a love of art in all its forms. He travels to see art museums and installations around the world, and he brings that same appreciation for beauty, composition, and detail to every smile he designs. In his view, cosmetic dentistry is not about covering things up — it’s about studying the proportions, symmetry, color, and harmony that occur in nature and applying those principles to create something that looks and feels real.
His favorite subject in high school was physiology, inspired by two exceptional teachers who instilled a fascination with how the body works. That early spark became a lifelong commitment to understanding the whole patient — not just the teeth, but the muscles, the joints, the bone, the overall health, and the confidence that a great smile brings.
Dentistry is the rare profession that demands both. The artist’s eye to see what a smile should look like. The scientist’s mind to engineer a result that functions, lasts, and protects the biology it’s built on. Dr. Kriston considers it the greatest healthcare profession for someone who loves both disciplines equally.
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Dr. Kriston invests in technology that has been proven rather than being a beta tester of unproven products. He is among the leading practices in the country incorporating the latest dental technology — his Carestream 3D CBCT scanner, Medit i900 digital scanner, and AI-assisted diagnostic software are all current-generation technology purchased in 2025 — but every investment is made with a clear clinical purpose.
The same principle applies to treatment planning. Dr. Kriston wants to give every patient something he knows will last, provided they take care of it and follow his advice on maintenance. There are no shortcuts, no experiments on patients, and no trend-chasing. Only what works.
Across every service page on this website, a consistent theme emerges: Dr. Kriston tells patients the truth. He presents all options — from the most conservative to the most comprehensive — with honest costs, realistic timelines, and clear explanations of what each approach can and can’t achieve. He’ll tell you what he would recommend for his own family member.
He also sees beyond the teeth. Nutrition, confidence, comfort, TMJ health, sleep quality, and the systemic connections between oral health and whole-body health all factor into how he plans treatment. The question that guides every case isn’t just “What does this tooth need?” It’s “What will make this person healthier, more comfortable, and more confident?”
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The honest answer: artificial intelligence.
The incorporation of AI into all aspects of dentistry — from cavity detection to anatomical tracing to implant planning — has made the profession feel like it’s being transformed into something entirely new. After 38 years, Dr. Kriston says he feels lucky to be experiencing what feels like the dawn of a new era in dental care. The technology is advancing faster than at any point in his career, and the potential to improve diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient outcomes is enormous.
It’s not hard to be excited by it.
Dr. Kriston grew up in Lafayette and Walnut Creek, California — a true East Bay native. He attended UCLA as an undergraduate, where his history major fed a love of literature, research, and cultural exploration that remains central to who he is today.
He has been married for 37 years and has three grown children — a daughter and two sons. He was active in their sports programs as they were growing up, and he remains passionate about fitness, running and lifting weights to stay in shape.
Outside of dentistry, Dr. Kriston’s interests reflect the same combination of curiosity and appreciation for craftsmanship that defines his clinical work:
Dr. Kriston loves Danville for many reasons, but mostly for its compact, small-town feeling. It has charm and an ambience that reminds him of the Napa Valley towns he enjoys so much — and even touches on the small-town-in-Europe vibe he seeks out in his travels.
Danville has a family-friendly atmosphere, a community orientation, and people who care about each other. It’s a place where you run into your patients at the farmers’ market and your neighbors at the local restaurants.
And for someone who studied history and fell in love with literature at UCLA, there’s a special connection: Eugene O’Neill’s Tao House is right here in Danville. The Nobel Prize-winning playwright wrote some of his greatest works in the hills above town, and the annual Eugene O’Neill Festival celebrates that legacy. For Dr. Kriston, having one of America’s most important literary landmarks in his own community is a source of genuine pride.
He has also enjoyed exploring other literary sites throughout the San Francisco Bay Area — another way his love of history, culture, and the written word extends beyond the office.
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