When families leave the city for the quiet and comfort of a very small town, it may seem services like quality healthcare are a sacrifice in favor of picturesque mountains, but in Franklin, it’s not the case.
When it comes to dental solutions, you don’t have to choose. Residents can enjoy the Appalachian beauty and Corbin Dental.
Set among sunsets worthy of an artist’s paint brush and within a community that feels like one big family, Corbin Dental found its place – a modern dental practice rooted deeply in the community it serves.
The office opened in July 2019, when Dr. Matt Corbin (pictured top) purchased the practice from Dr. David Silverstein, a longtime dentist who had served the community well for many years.
Today, Corbin Dental offers a comprehensive range of services, including teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, dental crowns, full and partial dentures, wisdom tooth extraction, oral surgery, root canal therapy, periodontal treatment, dental implants, bite guards and much more.
For patients, it means addressing virtually all of their dental needs in one place.
Rooted here
It would be hard to imagine anyone more local than the practice’s founder. Corbin’s Franklin family roots stretch back more than two centuries.
“I love practicing back home in a small town. It is so rewarding taking care of people who helped raise me and guide me in my younger years,” Corbin said. “In a small town, the connections are meaningful. It’s less transactional and more built on relationships. This fits well into how I’m wired personally.”
This belief rings true as Corbin lived in various parts of the country while serving in the Air Force.
Twelve years away from Macon County, including Corbin’s dental education, residency and an Air Force assignment in Alaska, never diminished his desire to return home and serve the community, guided by his Christian faith.
“I am an old soul that is rooted in Christ, loves my family, believes in hard work, and genuinely cares for the community that raised me,” Corbin said.
From the Air Force to the Dental Office
The combination of dentistry and military service may seem unusual, yet it proved to be an extraordinarily effective one.
A U.S. Air Force veteran, Corbin’s military experience continues to shape the way he approaches both dentistry and patient care.
Corbin enlisted in the Air Force in the spring of 2012, became active duty in the summer of 2015 and served until returning home in the summer of 2019.
“The Air Force is guided by three core values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do,” Corbin said. “These concepts translated well into how we operate as a unit in our practice.”
While stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, south of Omaha, Neb., his experience directly expanded and deepened the scope of care Corbin Dental offers its patients today.
“This was an extra year after dental school where we dove deeper into different aspects of specialty care,” Corbin explained.
More Than Dentistry
Yet even the most advanced equipment, technology and expertise cannot replace the sense of care a patient experiences from the moment they walk through the doors. It’s one of Corbin Dental’s highest priorities.
“We believe compassion and sincerity generate trust and build meaningful relationships,” Corbin said.
That commitment is especially important in a profession that many people have associated with anxiety. And delivering on that commitment would not be possible without a team that shares the same values as its owner.
“We have a method for selecting staff members that has been very successful. We’re very selective in this area,” he said. “We want to craft top-tier dental experiences and, to quote Jim Collins in “Good to Great”, having the right team members on the bus and in the right seats has been a key to that success.”
The Corbin Dental team has 17 staff members, including three dentists: Corbin, Dr. Ashley Collins and Dr. Harrison Conner – all North Carolina natives and highly accomplished professionals.
For them, being a doctor is, first and foremost, a calling of the heart.
Collins says the team shares very similar treatment philosophies and collaborate constantly to provide the most comprehensive care for our patients. They see it as a distinct privilege that patients choose Corbin Dental to care for and foster their dental health.
Conner’s view is also shared by the team, “I try to treat everyone like they are family. If I would not treat my mom, dad, sister, or wife with a proposed treatment plan, then I will not treat my patients that way either. I care about my patient’s families, health, and hobbies and being able to connect with them helps establishes a mutual trust and friendship allowing me to provide the best care.”
In a small town where everyone knows everyone, the standards are especially high. Here, it is not enough to simply create a polished image of a business – you have to live up to the quality you promise. And Corbin Dental does.
Giving Back to Franklin
Serving its community extends far beyond dentistry.
The practice sponsors many local sports teams and events, supports local high schools through several programs and has adopted two streets for trash pickup through Franklin’s Adopt-A-Street program.
The Corbin Dental team visits area schools during dental education days, provides free care through several charitable organizations and partners with the Rotary Club to provide dental donations during Children’s Dental Health Month.
One of the team’s favorite community service projects was repainting the gazebo on the town square.
Corbin Dental doesn’t just say it loves Franklin – it shows it through action.
In the end, Corbin hopes that, years from now, people will remember “we crafted the best dental experiences, built genuine relationships, gave back selflessly to our community, exhibited the love of Christ in our actions, and used dentistry as a platform to do good in this world.”
