Meet Dr. Paul Deines
The next leader of an exceptional dental practice in one of America’s fastest-growing communities.
Dr. Paul Deines is the next leader of Bratten Dental, an established and beloved dental office in Smyrna, TN. He moved to Tennessee after 5 years of leading and serving as an officer and dentist in the US Navy.
If you were a US Marine recently stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and you got a toothache, there’s a good chance they sent you to see Lieutenant Paul Deines.
From 2018 to 2020, Lieutenant Deines was a Navy dentist stationed in Japan, serving in the US Navy Dental Corps and responsible for providing comprehensive dentistry to 13,000 American service members and their families, including the pilots, crews, air traffic controllers, and mechanics on the flight line in Okinawa.
Turns out, wherever American soldiers go, dentists go too.
In the military, a toothache can be a national security risk.
After graduating near the top of his dental school class at the University of Louisville, Dr. Paul Deines served in the US Navy Dental Corps for 5 years, in Norfolk, Virginia, Okinawa, Japan, and Camp Pendleton, California.. His favorite US military aircraft is the CV-22 Osprey.
Dr. Deines didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a Navy Lieutenant, or a Fleet Marine Force Warfare Officer, or a Marine-qualified 9mm pistol sharpshooter.
He became all three, but only after following a winding path.
After graduating from Indiana University, Paul was working an office job in Indiana. Nothing clinical. Nothing even close to the military. But that didn’t feel right.
He was pretty good at it, but something was missing.
Paul grew up around dentistry.
Paul's grandfather was a dentist.
And his uncle.
And his cousin.
Paul’s mom was in dentistry too. For 20 years, she worked at the front desk at a pediatric dental office in Paul’s hometown.
But after college at Indiana University, Paul didn’t go straight to dental school.
It wasn’t long before he realized he was created for clinical work.
After college, Paul joined a firm that helped recruit nurses for big health systems. But on his lunch breaks, he started driving to a nearby family dental office to shadow Dr. Daniel Sakel, a former Navy dentist.
Paul got to know Dr. Sakel and admire how he cared for his patients.
He liked the idea of working with his hands.
He saw the positive impact Dr. Sakel had on his community.
Paul realized he preferred science. He preferred labs to cubicles and enrolled in a graduate degree program, earning a master’s degree in biology.
Then, with Dr. Sakel’s encouragement, Paul won a Navy scholarship and admission to dental school at the University of Louisville, where he graduated near the top of his class.
Part of me always wanted to be a dentist, but I never considered becoming a military officer until I met Dr. Sakel.
I’m grateful he nudged me in that direction.
In 5 years as a Navy Dentist, I learned how to do complicated procedures in oral surgery, endodontics, and prosthodontics.
- Dr. Paul Deines
And now he’s settling in Tennessee. And joining the team at Bratten Dental.
Dr. Jim Bratten married his wife, Elizabeth, in 1983 and opened Bratten Dental in his hometown in 1984.
Over the last four decades, Dr. Bratten and Bratten Dental have earned an exceptional reputation among patients and peers. He’s been chairman of two county boards and served on the state board of the Academy of General Dentistry. In ‘03 he was awarded Mastership status from the Academy, and since 2011 his peers have consistently named him a Top Dentist in Nashville Magazine’s annual survey.
Every year.
Other dentists in the Nashville area have named Dr. Bratten a top dentist for 12 years in a row.
Dr. Jim Bratten hand selected Dr. Paul Deines as his colleague and future leader of the practice he spent his entire career building. He chose a Navy officer and skilled dentist.
Someone Jim knew he could trust with patients he’s known and treated for decades.
Every day, another 20 people move to Smyrna, a thriving community just 23 miles southeast of Nashville. And we can count Dr. Paul Deines (pronounced die-ness) among them!
Dr. Paul Deines and his Australian Shepherd, Yogi, visting Balboa Park in San Diego. Paul chose Bratten Dental because he saw an opportunity to work alongside one of the best teams at one of the best practices in one of the best, fastest-growing communities in the US.
Win, win, win.
Win for Dr. Bratten.
Win for Dr. Deines.
And a win for Bratten Dental patients.
Our team at Tailwater is proud of the reputation Dr. Bratten built in Smyrna. And we’re proud to be partnering with Dr. Deines as the practice’s next leader.
We’re all excited for the next 40 years.
Click here today to schedule your appointment with Dr. Deines
And check out the short video below to learn why more and more dentists like Dr. Deines are choosing to lead practices powered by Tailwater.
