Dentist/photographer moves practice from 99th & Holmes to Red Bridge

Dentist moves from 99th & Holmes to Red Bridge

By Jill Draper

Brian Davis had been thinking about moving his dental practice for several years, and when he found the right opportunity, he took it. On Jan. 7 Davis Family Dental reopened in Suite 211 at the Red Bridge Professional Building, 400 E. Red Bridge Rd., after closing doors at two offices—one at Gomer’s Corner Shopping Center and another in Shawnee.

Davis says things felt stagnant at the Gomer’s location where he was being pressured to sign a multi-year lease. Instead, he has taken the suite of Turner Lee Peck, who retired after practicing dentistry for more than 45 years.

Davis, 47, runs his practice with his wife, Adriana, who serves as business manager. He describes himself as down to earth, and says he earned a doctorate in dental surgery from UMKC by working at a UPS warehouse for 7 years and at Johnson County’s WaterOne utility for 5 years. His wife has a master of business administration degree and speaks fluent Spanish.

They’re still decorating the new office, but the walls eventually will hold a display of photography, his weekend hobby. He specializes in taking pictures of storms and concerts. One favorite image is a backlit cloud that towers some 60,000 feet high—at least that’s what TV weatherman Gary Lezak, a friend, estimates.  Other favorites are stage shots of musicians at venues like the Bonner Springs amphitheater and Harrah’s VooDoo Lounge. He recently shot an album cover for a Lawrence reggae group called Streetlevel Uprising.

Davis shoots band and concert photography. “About every local band in Kansas City and Lawrence, Kansas, I know personally,” he says. Photos by Brian Davis.

“Photography is a perfectionist thing,” he says. “It goes with dentistry. You have to be detail-oriented in both to get it right.”

Davis receives photography tips and lessons from an administrator at the City Union Mission, and he occasionally opens his practice on a Saturday to perform volunteer dentistry work on the shelter’s homeless children. One year he bought shoes for them, and another year, Kansas City Chiefs jackets.

Davis Family Dentistry plans to hold a grand opening in March with an open house, snacks and raffle prizes, but new patients are being accepted now, including Medicaid recipients ages 18 and younger. For information call 816-943-0003.

Posted in the January 22 issue.