Where Compassion Meets Cutting-Edge Care

Southern Smiles by Bethany Burton DMD is more than just a dental practice. Located at 2522 Oak Street, the women owned business is the embodiment of Dr. Bethany Burton’s dream of becoming a dentist and providing comprehensive dental care for adults and children. 

In February 2022, Burton joined the Southern Smiles family alongside then-owner Dr. Linda Trotter. Following her first visit to the practice, Burton immediately fell in love with and knew this was her path forward, a few months later, in October, Burton took over as owner of the practice. 

Coming from a larger practice in Fernandina Beach, Burton was much happier with Southern Smiles’ smaller team and the opportunity for more personal relationships with patients. She also feels right at home within the Riverside community. 

“There is a lot of local support for small businesses,” Burton said. “It’s a little bit more of a tight-knit community. I like that about it; that’s a lot more my style.” 

When deciding a name for the practice Dr. Burton chose the name Southern Smiles to embody the practice’s commitment to hospitality. “Our goal is to be hospitable and treat all of our patients like friends and family,” she shared.

A multi-faceted dental practice, Southern Smiles offers “a little bit of everything”, so Burton rarely refers patients to a third party for treatment. Services at Southern Smiles include everything from dental fillings to root canals, dental implants and oral surgery; and emergency care to a multitude of cosmetic services like veneers, smile makeovers, and Botox, making it a truly comprehensive care facility. 

Burton’s team pairs their professional skills and experience with state-of-the-art technology to ensure top-of-the-line service to each patient walking through its doors. These technologies include Invisalign, an iTero Scanner, digital X-rays and a CBCT (3D) Scanner, and same day crown milling. CBCT imaging allows for a comprehensive view of oral tissues to help detect issues that would not avail themselves on traditional radiographs. This early detection of issues such as dental infections are revealed early, so every new patient gets a complimentary CBCT evaluation.

Southern Smiles also offers IV sedation, making dental care comfortable and accessible for all. IV sedation can be used for all treatment types. Most general dentists do not provide this service, which can make it difficult for patients who need it for restorative treatment like crowns or fillings. 

“IV sedation is most often needed for oral surgery but it also benefits patients in different ways. Maybe you have an adult patient that has special needs and they need a filling – they don’t need an extraction – this situation offers us as an alternative, versus having nowhere to turn for care,” Burton said. 

Additionally, patients that have a greater need for dental work or involved treatment because of a fear of dentistry, they may choose to have more difficult cases done in one visit with IV sedation. Burton sees her practice filling a particular need and serving a population that may need alternative care. 

“We offer folks solutions, sometimes patients don’t always fit somewhere, here, we offer them options through care and compassionate understanding.” 

Southern Smiles also offers options for an in-office membership plan to make quality dental care accessible for all. Due to the limitations of dental insurance coverage this offers an option for those patients that may have greater needs or do not have access to affordable routine dental care. 

As the owner of Southern Smiles, Burton said she is fortunate to lead a team of exceptional women who help make the practice what it is today. “I’m very blessed to have the right team players,” she said, brimming with pride. 

Burton received her DMD at the University of Kentucky and completed her general practice residency at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. She also holds certification in IV sedation. Additionally, she maintains an active membership in the American Dental Association, Jacksonville Dental Society, Northeast District Dental Association, and the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology. 

Southern Smiles is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The practice is closed Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.