At first, it didn’t seem as though Dr. Dana Fender, who received the Gene Chambers Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the 2018 Chamber Annual Event, was going to make any remarks. Never one who enjoys the spotlight, he seemed content to accept the award and let the Chamber of Commerce’s Lisa Hodge make a few comments on his behalf.
But then he stepped to the podium.
Dr. Fender, a two-time valedictorian (of his graduating class in both high school and dental school), opened his first orthodontic practice in Douglas in 1996. In 2007, he and Dr. Greg Goggans merged their practices into Fender-Goggans Orthodontics and moved into the Atrium building downtown. Eight years later, after growing the Fender-Goggans practice, Smile Doctors was born. Initially with nine locations and 100 employees, Smile Doctors now has 110 locations and over 1,000 employees throughout the United States.
Though his orthodontic practices have experienced phenomenal growth over the last 22 years and made him a much more public figure than he would like to be, Dr. Fender remains a quiet, humble individual who would rather remain in the background and let others do the talking, receive the credit, and accept the awards. As he spoke Thursday night, he wasn’t comfortable standing at the podium by himself. The audience could clearly see that he was deeply honored for the recognition he was receiving. And, of course, he quickly deflected that recognition to his employees, family, and friends. “I had two of the greatest mentors a person could ask for – my father, Robert Fender, and Dr. Wayne Hester. I learned everything I know from them,” he said. Dr. Fender also believes that his practice has a higher purpose, one that he feels guides everything he does both professionally and personally. Speaking of his relationship with Christ, Dr. Fender stated that he has always “felt a hand on my back, guiding me along every step of the way.”
From the first day he began practicing, Dr. Fender has been quick to embrace the latest technology, trends, and techniques. Never one to sit around and become complacent with the way things are, Dr. Fender is always looking for ways to better serve his patients. That willingness to accept change and evolve is a major reason why Smile Doctors has become one of the premier orthodontic practices in the country. “We love Coffee County. It’s been a great place to live and do business in. I’d like to thank the Chamber for this honor. We appreciate the opportunity we’ve had here and we’re fortunate to be in a position to help people feel better about themselves,” he said.
Dr. Fender and his wife, Hope, have three sons: Austin, Andrew, and Evan.