Dr. Joseph Farmer, DDS: Family and General Dentistry in Fort Smith and Roland
Dr. Joseph Farmer, DDS, at Valley Family Dental in Fort Smith and Roland. Born and raised in Fort Smith, AR. UAFS biochemistry, OU College of Dentistry.
A Fort Smith kid who came back with a dental degree
Dr. Joseph Farmer was born and raised in Fort Smith. He finished high school in Sallisaw, earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from the University of Arkansas–Fort Smith, and went on to the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry.
He practices at both Valley Family Dental offices, Fort Smith and Roland, which is convenient given that he has spent his whole life crossing that line anyway.
The biochemistry background is worth a sentence. He came into dentistry through the science of how the body actually works, not just the mechanics of teeth. When he explains why your gums are inflamed or why a particular filling material fits your situation, he is drawing on that.
The everyday dentistry that keeps your mouth working
Dr. Farmer handles the broad range of general and family dentistry. Checkups and cleanings. Fillings and sealants. Crowns and bridges. Root canals. Extractions and wisdom teeth. Periodontal treatment for gum disease. Dentures. Kids, teenagers, adults, grandparents.
This is the unglamorous half of dentistry and it is the half that determines whether you keep your teeth. A cavity caught at a checkup is a twenty-minute filling. The same cavity found two years later is a root canal and a crown, three visits, and considerably more money. Dr. Farmer is very good at the early conversation, which is the one where you still have easy options.
He is also methodical about explaining what he sees. If he tells you a tooth is watchable rather than treatable right now, he means it, and he will show you the image he is looking at. Patients who have been oversold somewhere else tend to relax around him quickly.
Where he trained
- DDS, University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry
- BS, Biochemistry, University of Arkansas–Fort Smith
- High school, Sallisaw, Oklahoma
- Practices at both the Fort Smith, Arkansas and Roland, Oklahoma offices
Outside the office
Dr. Farmer married his wife Aspen in 2018. Their daughter Evelyn was born in January 2023, which means he is currently in the phase of life where sleep is a rumor. They also have three dogs, so the house is not quiet either.
He serves at TheBod.Church in Roland.
His hobbies are the kind that require patience and steady hands, which is not surprising in someone who does this work for a living. He builds scale models. He shoots traditional archery, the kind with no sights and no release aid, where the only thing correcting your aim is repetition. He hunts. He plays guitar.
If you have a two-year-old who is anxious about a first dental visit, mentioning that he has one at home usually helps the parent more than the child, and that is often who needs it.
What it is like to be his patient
He asks first, then looks, then explains. He will tell you what he found, rank it by urgency, and separate the things that need attention now from the things that can wait and be watched. You get the plan and the cost in writing before you decide anything.
If you have a gag reflex, a sore jaw, a bad past experience, or a hard time getting numb, say it early. All of that is workable, and sedation dentistry is available if you want it. He would rather adjust the appointment than have you white-knuckle it.
Common questions.
Which office is Dr. Farmer in?
He sees patients at both the Fort Smith and Roland locations, Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Ask when you call and we will tell you which days he is where.
Does he see young children?
Yes. He treats kids, teens, and adults, and families can often be scheduled together rather than on separate days.
Can he do my root canal, or will I be referred out?
Most root canals are done here. If a tooth is unusually complex, we will tell you that up front rather than starting and stopping.
I need a lot of work. Where do we start?
With a comprehensive exam and images, then a written plan that sequences the work by urgency. You do not have to do all of it at once, and financing is available if cost is the constraint.
Request your appointment.
Four questions. Our care team calls you back within one business day. If you are in pain right now, call the office directly and we will get you seen.