We took a look inside the world of dentistry with Frank Clayton, a well-known local dentist and resident of Suwanee who loves caring for people as much as he loves his community
Please tell us a little about your family.
I live in Suwanee, and my brother and sister-in-law are neighbors. I married my wife, Donna, in 1991 in a double wedding with her sister and fiancé. There were over 700 attendees, standing room only, in Tennessee. I have three sons who all grew up in the North Gwinnett school cluster. They all played lacrosse. Two have graduated college and my youngest attends UGA. I will say that the education they received from North Gwinnett High School prepared them very well for college and their futures. We were very pleased.
What lead you to your career in dentistry?
I actually started in corporate sales with Kraft General Foods and was looking for something different. I was interested in the medical field. My father-in-law is a surgeon and suggested dentistry. I went back to school for three more years before going to dental school and was an international business and German major. I graduated in 1999 from dentistry.
What do you love most about it?
I like the autonomy and taking care of people, not working for a big corporation and having to worry about hospital administration telling me what tests I can and cannot order.
I have heard being a dentist is difficult and stressful. Is that true?
Absolutely, it is. If you are an empathetic and caring person by nature, as I am, you’re dealing with patients who are anxious and fearful, and we pick up on that. So, like perhaps a psychologist, we take home a lot of anxiety on some days. We are talking people down from that, we are in their face, which is a private space. We are giving injections and charging them lots of money! This reality wasn’t taught in school but is something I have experienced. I have taken classes and coaching to help manage all of this. My employees pick up on all this emotion, too. Also, having my own practice, I have to be outgoing, the HR person, and business owner. The pressure to do dental work very precisely on a person who is very anxious can be very stressful.
What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Bottles & Bones and Anjoo. Other favorites are Tequila Mama and Seaside Oyster Bar.
How long have you lived or worked here?
We moved to Suwanee in 1999 from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I opened my office in 2003.
What is your favorite thing about Suwanee?
I like the small-town feeling even though it’s a suburb. I think the city has done an excellent job on Town Center Park and the community.
What current or former business, or place, makes you feel the most nostalgic about Suwanee?
My first office was next to Moe’s on Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road, and we opened at the same time. I became friends with the owner and ate there almost every day!
If you could take anyone to lunch, dead or alive, who would that be?
Ronald Reagan
Where would you go?
We would go Seaside Oyster Bar.
What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
Plitvice in Croatia. The lakes and forests are incredible!
What was the first movie you remember seeing in a theater?
Saturday Night Fever. My uncle snuck me in because I was only 10 years old and it was probably rated R.
Tell me something that’s on your bucket list.
To visit Iceland.
What advice would you give to a crowd of people?
I would tell them to not be afraid of dentists! We are nice people!
Who is the most interesting person you have ever met in Suwanee?
A friend of mine, Jeff Spence, who is the most world-travelled and knowledgeable person I know. I met him through our kids playing sports.
What type of music do you like?
Alternative rock from the ’80s and ’90s. I like the ’70s as well. There will never be better music than what came from the ’70s.
Tell me something interesting about you that most people don’t know.
I speak semi-fluent German and I met my wife in Austria, speaking German!
Would you rather sing to a crowd of 50 people or speak to a crowd of 500?
Speak to a crowd of 500, for sure!
