Dedicated Grand Prairie, TX Special Needs Dentist
Get to Know
H. Whitney Payne Jr, DDS, MPH
Dr. Payne loves being a part of our dental office because it enables him to provide needed and deserved oral health services to those who are unable to receive dental care in a conventional setting. Nothing makes him happier than seeing the relief on a patient’s face when he’s able to fix a problem and give them a beautiful smile. We’re thrilled to have him and his 38 years of experience as part of our team, and you can start getting to know Dr. Payne by reading on below.
Why Did You Want to Become a Dentist?
Like most, Dr. Payne’s first impression of dentistry happened in childhood. His first dentist was friendly, compassionate, and patient. Dr. Payne became interested in how dentistry worked, the equipment that’s used, and how it fits into overall health. As he grew up and became educated, he learned just how important oral health was to someone’s general wellbeing. Improving the oral health of the individual and preventing dental disease are essential to the foundation of a healthy person as well as a healthy community. It was at this point that he decided that dentistry would be for him, and he hasn’t looked back since.
Where Did You
Study Dentistry?
Dr. Payne attended Texas Christian University and went on to graduate from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio Dental School in 1983. After serving in the US Army Corps, he entered the US Public Health Service in 1988 and practiced as a clinician and administrator in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Indian Health Service, and the Department of Health and Human Services. (He is board-certified in Dental Public Health and also has a Master of Public Health from the University of Oklahoma.) After retiring in 2005, he became an Assistant Professor of Dental Public Health at the Baylor College of Dentistry, and he eventually joined Disability Dental Services in 2016.
He is currently a member of the:
- American Dental Association
- Texas Dental Association
- Academy of General Dentistry
- American Association of Public Health Dentistry
Outside of the Dental Office,
What Do You Like to Do?
Dr. Payne and his wife, Susie, have 3 daughters and 3 grandsons. In his free time, he thoroughly enjoys challenging activities like skydiving, running, and distance swimming. He is also a woodworker and has created small furniture and various decorative items that you’ll find around his house.