About us
Since 2011 we have treated more than 24,000 patients from Westport, Brookside and downtown Kansas City — and built a practice around how people feel about coming back.
Our story
In 2011, Dr. Maya Ellison and Dr. Daniel Okafor left larger practices and opened a two-chair studio on Westport Road with a simple premise: that a dental practice should be judged on whether patients come back, not on how much it can sell them.
That premise has shaped everything since. We schedule longer first appointments. We write down the price before we start. We tell patients when something can wait. We keep same-day slots open because a toothache does not respect office hours.
Fifteen years on, the practice has grown to four dentists, a hygiene team and a waiting list for Saturdays — but the rule has not changed: if a treatment is not right for you, we will say so, even when it costs us the appointment.
What we believe
Every treatment over $150 comes with a written good faith estimate before anything begins. Under the ADA’s Your Right to Know rule, that estimate is good for 90 days.
We explain what we found, what the options are and what each one costs. You leave with the plan in writing, even if you do not book.
Nitrous oxide, oral sedation, longer appointments, a stop signal agreed before we start, and a team trained to notice when you go quiet.
A practice that only earns money on problems has the wrong incentives. We would rather see you twice a year than twice a month.
The building
We took a 1930s storefront on Westport Road and rebuilt it in 2011 as a dental studio rather than a clinic. That means no corridor with a fluorescent light, no waiting room full of other people's appointments, and no overhead lights that make you feel like a specimen.
How we got here
The practice grew one decision at a time, and each one came back to the same question: does this make it easier to get dental care?
2011
Dr. Maya Ellison and Dr. Daniel Okafor open a two-room studio with a waiting list for Saturdays and a rule they write on the wall: never sell anyone treatment they do not need.
2014
The practice takes over the room next door and rebuilds it without a corridor, so no patient is ever wheeled past a waiting room.
2017
Intraoral cameras and digital X-rays replace film, cutting radiation and letting patients see their own teeth on screen.
2019
The same-day emergency service is built around a clinical team rather than whoever happens to be free.
2021
An on-site laboratory cuts the wait on a crown from two weeks to a single visit.
2023
Digital planning brings guided implant placement and a full aligner service in-house.
2026
The studio now runs four dentists, a hygiene team and six treatment rooms — and the same rule on the wall.
Why Kansas City chooses us
18+
Years serving Kansas City
24K
Smiles cared for since 2011
4.9
Average patient rating
96%
Same-day emergency visits
How it works
Step 01
A short conversation about what you are experiencing, how long it has been going on and what you want to happen next. No forms to fill in before we have even met.
Step 02
Digital X-rays and a full examination of your teeth, gums, bite and soft tissue. We show you the images and explain what we are seeing in plain language.
Step 03
Every option, what it costs, how long it takes and what happens if you decide to wait. You leave with it in writing, even if you do not book anything today.
Step 04
We carry out the work comfortably and then make sure it lasts — with a recall schedule that fits your life rather than a generic one.
Patient reviews
4.9
out of 5, from 487 Google reviews
“I had not been to a dentist in nine years because of a bad experience as a kid. I almost didn't go. The first appointment was the most gentle exam I have ever had and nobody made me feel silly about being nervous. Two years on I am completely over it.”
Rebecca T.
“I had not been to a dentist in nine years because of a bad experience as a kid. I almost didn't go. The first appointment was the most gentle exam I have ever had and nobody made me feel silly about being nervous. Two years on I am completely over it.”
Rebecca T.
“Dr. Okafor replaced an implant that another practice had botched. He explained exactly what had gone wrong and what he was going to do about it, in plain language, without me feeling like an idiot. He was right about everything and I have had zero problems since.”
Marcus D.
“The convenience of being able to book online and having a Saturday appointment is what finally made me go. Then the hygienist was so good that I have not missed a cleaning since. My whole family comes here now.”
Holly P.
“Called at 8am with a broken tooth and was seen by 10:30 the same morning. Tooth was saved. I have worked in healthcare for twenty years and the way that phone was answered was a good sign of how the rest would go.”
Vincent R.
“I got clear aligners here after having braces as a teenager and I cannot say enough good things about the difference. The 3D scan showed me exactly what would happen before I committed to anything, and the price was what they quoted me. No surprises.”
Angela K.
“They took a genuine interest in my son's autism and adjusted the whole appointment around him — visual schedule, headphones, extra time. That is not standard anywhere. We drive across town for it.”
Danielle K.
Next step
Book online in under a minute, or call the practice and talk to a real person. Either way, you will get an honest answer about what you need and what it will cost.
Get in touch
Call the practice, send us a message, or book online. If you are in pain, call — we keep same-day slots open every day.