Edmond Marketplace

Dr. Kent Smith

There are many detours in life and it was one such detour that led Dr. M. Kent Smith to his chosen profession. At the end of his high school career, Smith applied and was nominated to The Air Force Academy, West Point and the Navel Academy. During the physical examinations however, he was diagnosed with a dental malocclusion and disqualified for a military appointment.

"I've had an interest in the health care field since middle school." Smith said. "It was the journey to correct my malocclusion (bad dental bite) however, that led me to pursue a career in dentistry."

With his military prospects behind him, Smith attended and later graduated from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston and traveled to Oklahoma for his residency. During his residency Smith gained experience at the University of Oklahoma Teaching Hospitals, Children's Hospital and the Veterans Administration Hospital.

He and his wife Leslye loved Oklahoma so much, they decided to make it their home. He opened his first practice in 1988 in Edmond.

It has been nearly 20 years since Smith first opened his practice, and since then it has grown to offer all levels of family dental care. His practices offers everything from emergency pain relief to full mouth restoration. This includes extractions, root canals, oral hygiene procedures, tooth colored restorations, crowns, implants, bridges, veneers and removable dentures. His practice has also been certified to offer Invisalign as an alternative for patients who desire to straighten their teeth but do not want metal braces.

"I am truly blessed to be able to help people achieve their goals. To be able to see people come out of their shell because of the embarrassment of their smile and truly experience what they perceive to be a dental miracle is great." he added.

In recent years, Dr. Smith's practice took another small detour by focusing on treating young athletes and sports-related dental injuries.

"My four children are active in sports and I have seen the effects of dental trauma first hand," Smith said. "I've made a commitment to learn procedures to restore teeth from athletic trauma, but more importantly, ways to protect athletes from experiences the life-altering effects from unnecessary sports accidents."

Just last year while attending a high school softball game, Smith became much more than an observer when he treated a young girl that had three teeth knocked out, and in another game he helped an athlete with seven teeth knocked loose and a jaw bone fracture.

"We were able to reinsert the knocked out teeth and stabilize the teeth that became loose. Both young ladies are doing well and were able to keep their natural teeth."

Smith's practice is truly a family business. His twin daughters Jessica and Rachel, entering their junior year at Edmond North High School, help with clerical as well as instrument preparation at the office. Leslye and their other children Ashton and Brett also lend their hand when needed.

Completing the office staff are Office manager Susan Baker, Dental Assistance Mendy Maples and Dental Hygienist, Meredith McMeen.

Smith hopes to soon add additional staff and continue to add the newest and latest technology and care for his patients.

"We are focused on enhancing our office with the newest technology …We are using a laser to help better detect decay at a much earlier stage than in the past. We are updating our camera system where patients are able to immediately see their dental problems on television monitors in our treatment rooms and are providing patients with restorations that can change their lives in as little as two appointments."

Call 341-7773 for more information or to make an appointment.

The Owner Builder Network

With the help of The Owner Builder Network, you could custom-build the home of your dreams and save thousands while doing it.

Co-owners Carol Angel and Larry Oesterman first learned about The Owner Builder Network, while living in Houston, TX. They were helping the company market their services. When they learned that the clients were earning instant equity in their new homes, they were intrigued. Many of the clients of The Owner Builder Network told of the pride they felt after building their dream home without paying custom builder prices. After hearing all the wonderful success stories that The Owner Builder Network had provided, Angel and Oesterman jumped at the idea of becoming a franchisee.

From getting the construction loan, to site cleaning, to the actual construction of the home, The Owner Builder Network provides the tools and information for every step of the home-building process. "Any time a client has a question, they can just call or come by. That's what we're here for, to answer their questions," says Angel.

The first step is to complete a free personal analysis. This allows The Owner Builder Network to determine construction loan size you will qualify for. This is determined by many different factors, including your credit rating, income, debt-ratio, etc.

Once the size of your construction project is determined, The Owner Builder Network will provide an easy building construction schedule. And now you're ready to start building!

Armed with a list of sub-contractors who will help you to get builder's discounts, The Owner Builder Network makes saving thousands simple. "We have a huge list of sub-contractors, and they all do really good work," says Oesterman. What makes the experience unique is that you, as the builder, have full control of the project. "The difference between being your own builder, and using a custom builder is ultimately the money. When you are the builder, you can shop around and find bargains, while still getting the quality products you want and deserve," explains Oesterman. The clients of The Owner Builder Network really seem to enjoy being in control of building their own home. "We get a lot of women who want to build their own house. They surprise themselves by how good they are at it," says Angel. And, if you are qualified in a certain area, you can save even more money by doing the work yourself.

Angel says, "the most thrilling part is the amount of money our clients save. For example, one of our clients had a construction loan for $348,000 and his home appraised for $500,000. That's $152,000 in instant equity!"

This year the Edmond franchise was voted Franchise of the Year. The Edmond owners plan to expand their market and open satallite offices all over Oklahoma very soon.

Some of the most common questions the owners receive are:

1. How much will I save?

Answer: thousands

2. How much time will this take me?

Answer: not any more time than if you were getting your home built by a custom builder. In fact, most people end up spending more time than is really needed.

3. How will I know if it's done right?

Answer: Part of this process is that The Owner Builder Network assigns an inspector that works just for you. Not for the insurance agency, not for the bank, not for the city. Just for you.

The Owner Builder Network will hold their next informational seminar Thursday, July 12 at 6:30pm. To book your spot, call 359-6267. You can also visit The Owner Builder Network on their website at www.obnonline.com.