Dr. Tonya R. Smith

Owner: Tonya R. Smith

Address: 2662 E. Joyce Blvd., Suite 2,

Fayetteville, 72701

Phone: 501-582-0600

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-

Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon Friday

Start-up date: May 12

Bright colors and a small rocking zebra help set children at ease during their visit to the dentist, and Dr. Tonya Smith wants the kids to feel welcome in her office.

Reaching children as early as possible to begin a healthy dental routine motivates Dr. Smith to try to reach the children’s parents early.

“We like to see them at age one,” Smith says.

Televisions and movies play on the ceiling over the patients, and the kids often watch movies while Smith works on their teeth.

“We are very kid-friendly,” Smith says.

Smith says Northwest Arkansas has developed a need for another pediatric dentist. Different factors combine to work against children’s teeth as they develop, and county water that lacks fluoride is one problem that can cause decay in young teeth, Smith says.

Smith received her degree from the University of Tennessee at Memphis, and she opened her own practice for one year before moving to Fayetteville. In her current practice, Smith treats people from age one through college.

“Kids are fun,” Smith says. “They are a lot more simple to work with.”