Trust is hard to gain and easy to lose. The dentists and staff at Brown Family Dental Care in Cottleville have made earning their patient's trust the foundation of the practice. “We believe in serving patients with honesty and integrity,” says Dr. Jay Brown, owner. “We really love the family aspect of dentistry and taking care of all ages.”
Jay opened his new 5,000-square-foot office in Old Town Cottleville in May, though he bought the practice in 2012 that was founded by long-time St. Charles family dentist, Dr. Paul Dolan. “Dr. Dolan started his practice in the sixties,” Jay said. “His patients loved him. We still have patients who came to Dr. Dolan. We want to keep that trust, that small-town feel, going. Our philosophy is pretty simple: We honestly do seek to treat people the way we want to be treated.”
With over 16 years of experience, Jay and his associate, Dr. Stuart Scott, offer a full range of dental services including dental exam and treatment planning; dental hygiene and periodontal health; tooth extraction and bone grafting; fillings; crowns and bridges; implants and dentures; and cosmetic dentistry. The office also offers beverages while you wait, a phone charging area, and a tooth brushing station to polish up before seeing the dentist. Jay and Stuart also offer emergency appointments and second opinions.
Jay went to dental school in Alabama and committed to serving four years on active duty (three of which were in Europe). He transitioned to the Army Reserve in 2010 and moved to Missouri with his family. Today he spends his free time with his wife, three children and their dog, Frankincense. The family is highly involved in First Baptist Church O'Fallon.
Stuart and Jay have known each other since 2010. Stuart says he started out working with Jay as his dental assistant when he was a young college kid aspiring to be a dentist himself. The pair were fast friends. “He was full of questions,” Jay says.
Stuart earned his doctorate in dentistry from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry. He then spent several years in Jefferson County public health, working at a nonprofit that provided dental services to poor families with severe dental and health needs. In 2017, when his contract was nearing completion, he received a call from Jay who had become overwhelmed with patients at his growing practice.
“My concern at the time was that the industry was changing rapidly. Corporate dentistry was replacing private ownership at an alarming rate. I wasn’t sure if we could be competitive against the giant dental groups,” says Stuart. Jay assured him that “there will always be a place for good and honest dentistry,” and the two have worked together ever since. The practice has continued to grow through word-of-mouth referrals and by gaining the trust of its patients.
Stuart says he was fortunate to find a business partner and mentor that he could trust. And the two have many similarities aside from professional obligations. As a member of the Army National Guard, Stuart serves in the military as well. Stuart also spends his free time with his wife, three children and their dog, Harlow. Both enjoy church, outdoor activities, and serving their community.
Brown Family Dental Care has been a part of the Cottleville community since 2012. The practice used to be located on Mid Rivers Mall Drive, just a mile away from its new location. Jay says the “City Lifestyle” advertisement is the first marketing he has ever done. “We’ve never done any marketing, flyers or anything. We have been all word of mouth.”
“All the experts say you can’t grow a practice without marketing—by just treating people nice,” Stuart said. “But we don’t sell dentistry. We don’t upsell dentistry. We do the treatment that is necessary and are happy to give second opinions.”
Such was the case with one of Brown Family Dental’s patients. She explained it this way in her review: “Best dentist office I have had the luck of going to! I used to go to another dentist, and they told me they had to pull four of my teeth and give me veneers in the front. I came to Brown Family Dental for a second opinion. Four years later, I still have my teeth and don’t need veneers. To say I trust them is an understatement…”
There are many local options for dental care, but Jay says there is one thing that sets Brown Family Dental Care apart. “We really do care about people, and we want to treat everyone like family.”
For more information, call (636) 441-4600 or visit brownfamilydentalcare.com
“We believe in serving patients with honesty and integrity. We really love the family aspect of dentistry...”
