Beyond the Smile: Dr. Janier Barton's Healing Practice

The first thing you notice when you walk into Smiles by JB isn't the dental chairs or the equipment. It's the art. Vibrant paintings of people smiling, laughing, living—faces full of joy adorning the walls. Then the music hits you: Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston flowing through the space. Classic soul that makes you forget, just for a moment, that you're in a dentist's office.

This is exactly what Dr. Janier Barton intended.

Located at 1822 E NC Highway 54 in Durham, just off Exit 278, Smiles by JB is a dental practice unlike any other. Dr. Barton, who goes by "JB," has created something rare in healthcare: a space where clinical excellence meets genuine human connection, where the atmosphere itself becomes part of the healing.

Dr. Barton's path to dentistry began 22 years ago, not as a dentist, but as a dental hygienist. For a decade, she worked chair-side with patients, learning the intimate details of oral health and, more importantly, learning to truly see the people in front of her. That foundation of patient care shaped everything that came after.

When she graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry at Chapel Hill, she brought with her a unique perspective: the technical precision of a dental school education combined with the empathetic, hands-on sensibility of someone who had spent years building relationships with patients one cleaning at a time.

Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Barton has called North Carolina home for over 20 years. She's a mother to a son and two dogs, Rocky and Dakota, and she understands firsthand the juggling act that life requires.

What sets Dr. Barton apart isn't just her comprehensive skill set—she performs everything from oral surgery and endodontics to orthodontics, restorative work, and cosmetic procedures, offering true "one-stop" dental care. What makes her extraordinary is what happens before any of that.

She takes your blood pressure. She looks you in the eye. She asks the question most healthcare providers never think to ask: "What's going on?"

Not "what's going on with your teeth," but what's actually going on in your life.

One patient came to Smiles by JB on a spouse's recommendation, skeptical after seeing mixed online reviews from the previous practice. But within moments of entering the space—the bold colors, the joyful artwork, the soulful soundtrack—something shifted. The professional staff was warm. The vibe was calm. The anxiety that typically accompanies a dental visit simply... evaporated.

During the examination, when Dr. Barton said, "Your teeth are fine, but the gums tell the story," it wasn't a throwaway clinical observation. It was an invitation. An opening. She maintained eye contact and waited, really waited, for an answer.

In that moment, the patient realized she was drowning—grieving the loss of both parents, navigating her son's recent autism diagnosis, struggling with depression, marriage challenges, and business pressures. All of it had been pushed down, ignored, and managed alone.

Dr. Barton didn't move on to the next patient. She didn't break eye contact. She listened. And then she did something remarkable: she handed over the name of a therapist and recommended mental health support.

The patient walked out of a dentist's office that day with more than a treatment plan. She walked out with hope.

The aesthetic of Smiles by JB is deliberately bold, celebratory, and unapologetically JB, full of color and known for its vibrancy and soul. The paintings inspire. The music soothes. Every element is chosen to create what Dr. Barton calls "a calm, comfortable atmosphere"—but it's more than that. It's a sanctuary.

The colors pop. Not just on the walls, but also in her hair, beautifully done.  Barton mentions that sometimes patients say that they couldn't wait to see her current hue.

It's a place where patients feel safe enough to be vulnerable, seen enough to be honest, and cared for enough to believe that healing is possible.

Dr. Barton's commitment to whole-person wellness isn't just philosophical—it's practical. She has recently returned to school to pursue training as a mental health counselor, formalizing the compassionate care she's already been providing for years.

This evolution makes perfect sense. After all, she's been practicing holistic dentistry all along, understanding that a smile isn't just about straight teeth or healthy gums. A smile is the visible expression of wellness—physical, emotional, and mental.

Her specialty in Six Month Smiles and Invisalign reflects this philosophy: helping patients achieve the smile they want efficiently and discreetly, removing barriers and building confidence.

Smiles by JB has earned its reputation not through flashy marketing but through transformed lives. Patients who arrive anxious leave calm. Those who come in feeling invisible leave feeling seen. People who expected a routine dental appointment discover something far more valuable: a healthcare provider who treats them as a whole person, not just a mouth to fix.

The mission statement says it simply: "to provide high-quality dentistry in a calm, comfortable atmosphere." But anyone who has experienced Dr. Barton's care knows it's so much more than that.

It's about creating space for healing that goes beyond the clinical. It's about recognizing that oral health is connected to mental health, that physical wellness is inseparable from emotional wellness, and that sometimes the most important thing a healthcare provider can do is ask, "What's going on?"

And then actually wait for the answer.

Smiles by JB
1822 E NC Highway 54, Suite 100
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 484-0880
www.smilesbyjb.com

Offering comprehensive dental care, including cosmetic dentistry, Six Month Smiles, Invisalign, oral surgery, endodontics, and orthodontics—all with a commitment to treating the whole person.