Friendly Faces, Familiar and New

It is always comforting to see familiar faces when you are visiting the doctor or dentist’s office.

It is always comforting to see familiar faces when you are visiting the doctor or dentist’s office, and if you are a long-time Owasso resident, you’ll probably recognize several of the staff members at Thomas Dental & Eye Care. Two new friendly faces are on board as well: Kim LeFlore and Dawn Schaffitzel.

As they begin their 10th year serving Owasso, Dr. Dirk Thomas says he is happy to be serving in his hometown, along with his wife Dr. Lanita Thomas. The 1990 Owasso High School alum graduated from dental school at The University of Oklahoma and returned to his roots. “Owasso was a great place to grow up, and when it was time to start my practice, this was my natural choice.”

Dr. Lanita Thomas was a 1990 graduate of Broken Arrow High School and met Dirk while they were both attending Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. A shared zoology class led to a dinner date, and the two have been together ever since. Dr. Lanita graduated from optometry school at NSU and opened her eye care practice in Owasso in 2000. The Thomases are now the parents of three young children - Brady is 6, Colby is 4 and baby Audrey is 17 months. “With little ones of our own, work, church and school activities, we can definitely relate to the busy lives our patients lead,” shares Dr. Lanita. “We wanted to offer Owasso and the surrounding area exceptional eye care and dentistry in one place.”

Thomas Dental & Eye Care is not your typical doctor’s office. With scented candles burning, beautiful décor and cushy leather couches, you can relax and enjoy the personal service and attention to detail that makes this practice so unique. Even the dental chairs are state-of-the-art memory foam, and Dr. Dirk says it’s not uncommon for patients to doze off during an exam. “Everything here is about exceeding our patients’ expectations and making them comfortable and relaxed while providing outstanding care.”

Thomas Dental Care specializes in cosmetic dentistry and also offers family dentistry, crowns and bridges. Preventative care is a priority and keeps restorative work to a minimum. Dr. Dirk also works with Dr. Stapleton, a periodontist, who works from the Owasso office weekly to care for patients with gum disease. “He is a specialist in this field, and it’s a real convenience for our patients who need this type of care to make it available locally.”

Ongoing continuing education keeps the doctor and staff up to date on the latest techniques and procedures. Dr. Thomas and his staff recently attended the American Dental Association meeting in San Antonio. Dental hygienist Cher Frazier said she particularly enjoyed the training on personal communication skills. “It was very helpful information about different personalities and how to really understand what the client is expressing, so you can truly meet their needs.”

On the Thomas Eye Care side, Dr. Lanita offers very thorough eye exams and custom fitting of frames. “We reserve 45 minutes for the appointment and help you choose the right frames, sunglasses and accessories. It’s much more important to have an accurate prescription, professionally made by specialists at the lab, than to rush out the door with something.”

Top brands including Oakley, Maui Jim, Juicy, Jimmy Choo, Wiley X and Gucci give a specialty boutique feeling to the shop. With the largest selection of high-end frames in the area – hundreds of frames to choose from – Dr. Lanita says there’s something for everyone. You can also shop online for frames at the Thomas Dental & Eye Care website, which is constantly updated with the latest products.

Dr. Lanita says many people don’t realize they can come to Thomas for custom non-prescription sunglasses. “We are a professional provider, so we don’t charge sales tax, even on sunglasses, and that can be a significant savings.”

Whether it is eye care or dental care you need, the married team of Dirk and Lanita Thomas are ready to introduce you to a new standard of care. “We provide a perfect blend of function and beauty in both our dentistry and optometry. We hope you’ll allow us to serve your family,” says Dr. Lanita.  

Thomas Dental & Eye Care is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and both doctors are accepting new patients. Emergency appointments are available. For more information, call the Thomas doctors at (918) 376-2700. 

For more information, contact

Thomas Dental & Eye Care

www.thomasdentalandeye.com