Photography: Dustin Ashcraft

If you need a dentist who truly cares about you and your family, Dr. Art Boss is the one to call. Practicing in Corpus since 1985, this intelligent, state-of-the-art dentist just spent a good part of his day working on four generations of one family.

"How can we not feel special after a day like this?" he says.

Not too many doctors can add that to their list of accomplishments, but Boss can because dentistry and being family oriented is a big part of who this man is.

Operating the practice is his dream come true. "Ever since I was 5 years old, I made up my mind to become a dentist," he says. "My father was a dental lab technician, so I was always around teeth and dentistry.

"Throughout my school years, I did reports and experiments related to dentistry. I am extremely glad that I love being a dentist. If my dream did not turn into a reality, I could have been a very depressed person after planning this career for so long."

If you have had the pleasure of meeting Boss, you know he is quite the opposite of depressed. He is a man who stood by his dream and made it a wonderful experience for his patients, as well as himself. What an excellent role model for all of us.

After two years of college, Boss was accepted to dental school at the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston. "When I graduated there," he says, "I was told that I was the youngest dentist in Texas."

Starting in Corpus was the beginning of a rewarding and very successful career.

Constantly reading dental journals, utilizing the Internet and taking courses, Boss studies on a weekly basis.

"It takes a tremendous amount of time, effort and dedication to keep up with the latest in dentistry," he says. "Due to the aches and pains of playing sports and practicing dentistry (which is demanding on the body), I spend a lot of time lying in hot baths. This creates the perfect opportunity for me to read dental journals. If I ever give an article to another staff member to read, it will look like it's been wet."

"Caring for family smiles" is the Boss motto. "It is the perfect saying for my practice," he says. "I care for our patients just like I would a good friend. I want everyone to know that we care and are dedicated to taking care of their entire family.

"I want them to know that we are like a family at our office. We have shared our lives and the events of our lives with each of our patients, and they share with us, too."

Boss continues to give examples that highlight the family orientation that his office staff, his patients and their families remember to the present day.

"Patients tell me stories about myself," he says. "They recall me throwing footballs with them in the parking lot or dribbling basketballs down the office halls. That is why this is a family practice."

Add in the following ingredients: the latest equipment, the most innovative procedures and the usage of the highest rated products in the dental arena. Another essential component to add to this quality mix is best explained by the doctor.

"I have always strived to be affordable, meaning that patients get the highest quality of care while paying fees that are average for our area," he says. "While I am not the cheapest, I am also not the most expensive. I am always in the middle at the average fee, but for the average fee, patients get the highest quality of care. This makes us a good value and a good deal at the same time."

Boss has a wonderful philosophy regarding patient care. "Dental care is not a 'one size fits all' business. What is best for one patient is not always the best for another."

Believing that talking to patients and treating them like good friends is a key component in his practice. It has made this remarkable dentist into an extremely trustworthy doctor. Families of patients loyally listen to him and follow his advice.

"Practicing this way makes it more enjoyable for the patients, the staff and for me," he says. "All patients want to see a doctor and staff [who] are happy."

Walking through the doors of this beautiful office is all you have to do to feel like you are in the right hands. That is not an easy task to accomplish, but the doctor and his staff have practiced this way since the very beginning. No wonder generations of families go to Boss.

Having a practice that grows faster than one can handle is what most doctors crave. This happened to Boss in the late 1990s. Rather than neglecting any patients or turning away new patients, Boss decided to expand back in 1999.

Being able to have another dentist on staff and other dental employees who added more smiles and additional excellent quality of care in all areas was the right way to go.

"Overall, I could help keep costs down for patients while being able to afford the new dental technology," he says. "At that time, I was the first dentist in Corpus to take the plunge and try this. Building the bigger office and having a larger team while still not being a dental clinic was extremely important to me."

The formula worked, and to this day, the doctor has staff members who have been with him for 20-plus years. That alone speaks volumes to both existing and future patients.

While he has had several dentists practicing with him, they have long since left Corpus for a different lifestyle.

"I was lucky to have had the last dentist, Dr. (Brady) Kratz, with me for seven years before he moved," Boss says. "Dr. (Jason) Packard is now the dentist [who] works at Boss Dental Care. He comes from a family of dentists, as his father and brother are dentists. He is smart and driven. He also shares my philosophy of caring for families."

That is a perfect fit for this very extraordinary dental team.

As Boss performs most dental procedures other than orthodontics, patients are happy the dentist they trust can provide most services for the entire family. It seems Boss has created a one-stop dental office.

This is a utopian-like dentist for those who have to go to their primary dentist and see specialists for every procedure other than cavity fillings and dental cleanings. The security of knowing that Boss can do almost all aspects of dentistry earns him a great deal of loyalty and praise.

Described by his patients as happy, timely, caring, thorough and trustworthy is an honor to Boss. And he wears it well.

As the doctor and the rest of us create our New Year's resolutions, the top two should be to eat healthy and exercise. According to Boss, the third one to add to your list is to floss.

"Floss, floss, floss. Recent studies have shown that by keeping the bacteria out of your mouth, your overall quality of life will improve. That should be everyone's resolution."

Boss' resolution is to eat healthy and exercise more. He is one guy who does not have to be reminded to floss.

Boss Dental Care is located at 801 Everhart, Corpus Christi, Texas 78411. For more information, call 361-992-7551, or visit www.bossdental.com.