The Utah iSmile Team

Dr. Jason G Barton has been practicing comprehensive dental care for the past 20 years focusing on ideal patient care, dental implants, orthodontics, wisdom teeth, cosmetics, and all aspects of advanced dental care. He attended one of the top Dental Schools in the nation, University of the Pacific. After graduating in 1995, he relocated his family to Southern California where he practiced as a general dentist for almost 10 years. In the mid 2000’s, he and his family then relocated to Northern Utah, where he joined forces with Dr. Gary McLeod and together they quickly began expanding their practices to several locations known as iSmile, Dentistry with a Heart. Today, there are almost 20 iSmile locations, located in Northern Utah, Southern Utah, Phoenix, and Tucson Arizona – with plans to expand further into Nevada and California.

Dr. Barton’s role in iSmile other than being an owner, is to provide advanced dental care to the patients in the network of iSmile offices. He is the Chief Clinical Director in Implants, Orthodontics, Periodontal Surgery, and Cosmetics. The multiple discipline approach Dr. Barton utilizes, enhances the patient experience in comprehensive care. The technology used in the iSmile network is state of the art and provides an excellent avenue for ideal care – 3D imaging, Lasers, Cerec same day crowns, and digital x-rays. Dr. Barton also teaches and offers education to other iSmile Doctors in the areas of implant surgery and restoration, orthodontics for all ages, periodontal surgery, and cosmetics.

Dr. Barton personally places 50 implants and oversees the placement of over 100 implants a month. He has placed nearly 5,000 implants in 20 years and continues to focus on quality implant care for patients. He also oversees the orthodontic care for over 500 patients on a monthly basis.

He has been married to Kathryn for over 25 years and continues to cherish the relationship he has with her and their 5 boys. Dr. Barton met his wife Kathryn while attending BYU-Hawaii. Since being married in 1988, they have lived in Laie Hawaii, San Francisco California, Orange County California, and Utah. Their family activities have taken them to several countries for humanitarian work and service. They are very active in their church service and continually look for opportunities to serve not only in the church, but also in the community. Community involvement has included Dr. Barton to Coach over 55 teams in 20 years in the sports of football, baseball, basketball, and soccer – mentoring young athletes to become young men and respecters of all. If Dr. Barton has any personal time, he enjoys surfing the waves of California, Mexico, and Hawaii.

Dr. Richard Ekstein, a Board-Certified Prosthodontist, only one of 4 in the State of Utah, and one of 1200 in the United States, is proud to join the iSmile Team. He started his education at Fairleigh Dickerson University and moved onto The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, where he graduated in 1985, and in 1989 he graduated, the top of his class, from Fairleigh Dickerson’s Prosthodontic program.  Years of additional study and practice allowed him to be awarded the status of Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontists in 2009.

Dr. Ekstein has practiced in both New York and New Jersey and now Utah. He and his wife, Fran, raised their children while he practiced in a dental partnership in New Jersey, near their home. And in 2012, he opened his solo practice in New Jersey, so he could concentrate on Prosthodontic cases, which give him great  personal satisfaction.

Dr. Ekstein’s thirst for knowledge is never ending. He constantly looks for new ways to help improve his patients’ quality of life. Dr. Ekstein is also a Dentomandibular Sensorimotor Dysfunction specialist, giving him unique insight in treating TMJ and those that suffer with migraines. Dr. E after skiing here locally, knew this is where he wanted to be. So he settled in beautiful Huntsville and has never looked back. He loves skiing so much that he became a Ski Patroller at Nordic Valley Ski Resort.

Dr Ekstein brings 34 years of dental experience to the iSmile team here in Odgen.

My passion for dentistry developed while I was living in Southern Chile. I was striving to learn Spanish as efficiently as possible before I moved there, but nobody told me that the area where I’d be living was impoverished and that no one had a full set of teeth. I never truly understood the impact that teeth had on communication and relationships, as I struggled to make sense of the Spanish slurry coming from the native’s mouths. I then realized that there was an opportunity for me to change lives through dentistry.

I was raised in Ventura, California, where I grew up playing sports, musical instruments, and riding motorcycles. After graduating high school, I moved to Utah where I got my degree in Exercise Science at BYU. I chose to attend the University of Oklahoma for dental school, where I developed my skills and interest in surgical and restorative procedures. I was very excited to move back to Utah upon completion of dental school to be closer to family and the beautiful mountains.

I’m eager to develop relationships with my patients in Salt Lake as I serve the community. I want to make sure that I can take care of my patients’ needs, while actively listening to their desires and concerns. When I’m not at work, you can catch me on the golf course, in the mountains, or on a quest to find the best burger in town. Can’t wait to get started!