Southland Smiles

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. One morning, as patients were settling into their seats, an announcement crackled over the intercom: ‘Would the owner of a missing toothbrush please come forward? It seems Dr. Smith’s dental assistant found it in the waiting room.’ Soon after, another voice came on: ‘And would anyone who left their tongue cleaner behind also step up?’ A delivery driver sheepishly raised his hand from the corner. Turned out, Southland Smiles had quite the collection that day!

2. In the middle of a routine check-up, a patient heard a strange humming coming from behind the curtain. When they turned around, there stood Southland Smiles’ newest employee—a small robotic arm, gently polishing teeth in the background. Curious, the patient asked if it was new technology. The doctor smiled and replied, 'No, just our latest intern—she’s learning the ropes.' Later that day, while leaving, the same patient bumped into their neighbor who joked, ‘Hey, I heard you got a new receptionist!’

3. While waiting for her turn, a young mother noticed something peculiar outside the window—an old man was whistling tunelessly while polishing his car in the parking lot. As she watched, an elderly gentleman walked by with a big smile on his face, carrying a bag of groceries he must’ve forgotten earlier. The receptionist chuckled and said, ‘That’s Mr. Jenkins—he comes here every month to get his teeth cleaned.’ The mom smiled, realizing that even dentists’ lives can be full of unexpected moments.

4. While waiting for her turn in Southland Smiles, a little girl whispered to her mom, ‘Why does everyone here look so happy even when they’re getting their teeth cleaned?’ Mom smiled and whispered back, ‘They say that when you smile here, your teeth get cleaner just from happiness.’ The little girl thought about it for a moment, then gave her biggest, most genuine smile yet—so big that even the dentist looked up with a warm smile of his own.