The Smile Shoppe was founded at its current location in Highland nearly 60 years ago by Dr. Thomas Barker. A family man with six young children at the time, Dr. Barker built his practice around values of personalized care and genuine relationships with his patients.

Twenty-four years later, his son Dr. Byron Barker graduated from dental school and began practicing in the same office in which he had grown up. Dr. Darren joined The Smile Shoppe in 1997, and together, the doctors have worked tirelessly to ensure our office will always provide the highest quality of dental carefrom our family to yours.

At The Smile Shoppe, you can get all your dental needs taken care of right in downtown Highland! Our experienced doctors and staff will provide treatment for your entire family, starting from your baby's first teeth. Our services go far beyond general preventive care - at The Smile Shoppe we provide routine cleanings, restorative care, endodontics, orthodontics, implants, dentures, cosmetic dentistry, and more.

We strive to foster genuine, personal relationships with our patients so we can provide the type of care that you need and deserve, and will always approach your situation with a heart of compassionate gentleness. We understand that our patients sometimes come to us with fear or anxiety, and we will work with you every step of the way to make each visit comfortable.

We are committed to providing purposeful, intelligent treatment with the most gentle, modern dental care we can achieve. Our team actively pursues perfection through constant education, precision, and diligence. We promise to always offer you the best and most comfortable technology available during your visits, and to provide you with all of the information you might need to make the best possible decisions for your oral and overall health.

You can find all of the dental care you need at The Smile Shoppe. We will serve your entire family, and are happy to provide care to our pediatric and geriatric patients. Our staff will make sure you have all of the preventive care needed to keep your smile healthy, and all of the restorative care necessary if you have any problems. We are proud to be able to provide all of the treatments you might need including orthodontics, root canal therapy, implants, dentures, sleep appliances, cosmetic dentistry, and more. We will work with you to address any concerns you have with your health or your smile.

Here at The Smile Shoppe we are passionate for the community we live in, and work daily to give back in any way we can. Our doctors and staff are involved in a number of local and state-wide charities, many of which are focused on providing dental care to people who do not have adequate access to treatment. Seeing the smiles on our new friends' faces is all we ask for in return!

Dr. Byron Barker has been a part of the Smile Shoppe since August of 1987. He is a 1987 graduate of Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Byron was the recipient of the Owen Jacquemin Sullivan award for outstanding care of children while in dental school. He holds memberships in the American Dental Association, Illinois State Dental Society, the Madison District Dental Society, International Association for Orthodontics and the Academy of General Dentistry. He received his Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry in July 2002.

Continuing education is a high priority for Dr. Barker, and he actively seeks all types of advanced dental education. Dr. Barker practices all facets of general dentistry, including endodontics (root canal therapy), orthodontics (braces) and many new cosmetic procedures. Dr. Barker prides himself in providing you with the best smile that can be achieved.

Dr. Darren Altadonna has been a part of the Smile Shoppe team since April 1997. He is a 1991 graduate of Eastern Illinois University and a 1995 graduate of Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine. He has been active in organized dentistry, with memberships in the American Dental Association, Illinois State Dental Society, and the Madison District Dental Society, having served as President and is currently the Executive Director. He is also a member of the International Association for Orthodontics, the American Orthodontic Society and the Academy of General Dentistry. He earned his Fellowship award in the Academy of General Dentistry in 2006, something only 6% of practicing dentists have achieved.

Outside of dentistry, he is also active in the Highland community. He is a member of the Highland Optimist Club and has served on the board of directors for the Highland Area Community Foundation, of which is was president, and is currently member of the St. Joseph Hospital Board. He has coached basketball at Highland Middle School since 2012.

Dr. Altadonna hails from Centralia originally. He married his wife, Susan, in June 1998, having lived in Highland since that time. They have two children, Cameron who is at the University of Kentucky majoring in Pre-Dentistry, and Cade, who keeps them busy with school and sporting events.

Kim joined the Smile Shoppe team in August 2012. Kim has been in dentistry since 1996 and knows the ins and outs of insurance and financing better than anyone. Kim has been married to her husband Mike since April 1997 and has one son, Cameron, who was born September 2002. On Kim's off time, she enjoys working as a volunteer at the school library, reading and watching Cameron play hockey and soccer.

With 20 years of administrative and customer service expertise, Kimberli is always ready to greet patients with a smile and provide the best experience in supporting your needs. She joined the Smile Shoppe team as our business assistant in 2020. She married her husband Mike in 2018 after taking the time to REALLy get to know him (after 10 years of dating!). Kimberli and Mike love Jeeping and going out to eat, especially for pizza. When not spending time with friends and family, her favorite pastime is a night at home watching Hallmark movies while shopping on Amazon and snuggling with her fur babies.

Meet Kym Rakers! Kym has been in the dental field since 2002 and has a passion for helping people. She was a dental assistant for 15 years before moving into the financial/insurance aspect of the dental office. Kym married her best friend, Keith, in 2018 and has 2 children, Colton and Paislee, who are her whole world. You can find Kym with her family and friends in her spare time, and she never misses a NASCAR race.

Natasha has been a member of The Smile Shoppe staff since 2004. She graduated from the Dental Assisting Program and Lewis & Clark Community College, then continued on to the Dental Hygiene Program and graduated in Dec 2009. She married Clint Kapp on October 16. 2010. They have 4 sons, Drexton, Granger, Branch, and Kleet. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, exercising as much as she can find time to do, and spending a lot of time outdoors as there is a lot of energy to burn in their household.

Kali graduated from the Dental Hygiene Program at Lewis and Clark Community College in March 2021 after a longer than expected wait due to Covid-19 shutdowns. She joined The Smile Shoppe in July 2021. Outside of work, Kali love to cook and bake. She is always in her kitchen trying new recipes. Kali 's favorite thing to hear after cleaning a patient 's teeth is, 'They feel so much better!'

Krisi has been a dental assistant for 35+ years! She has been here at The Smile Shoppe since 1991. Krisi married Brian Schulte in 1987 ~ widowed in 2016. She enjoys spending time with son Andrew, daughter Justine, and son-in-law Vuk and grandbaby! Krisi loves the outdoors and gardening, and her newest puppy Deuce!

Debi has been a member of the Smile Shoppe family since May 1997. She married Rodney Zobrist on March 31, 1978. She has a wonderful family which includes her kids Shandra (Matt) and Tyson (Wendi), and the best (and cutest) grandchildren ever: Ava, Adilyn, Brennen, and Ryder. She enjoys spending time with family, organizing, walking, gardening, working at her farm, and has recently began bike riding with her husband.

Meet Nikki! She has been a dental assistant for 16 years and joined The Smile Shoppe team in 2020 with a comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of dentistry and a passion for patient care. Recently engaged to her fiance, Bobby, they spend spare time taking long motorcycle trips, golfing, or going camping along with her two children, Caden & Tyler, and beloved pups, Blitz & Beau.

Amy has been a member of The Smile Shoppe team since January 2016. She is a 1994 graduate of the Kaskaskia College Dental Assisting Program. She and her husband, Wes, have been married since February 1998. They have 3 children, Cooper, Griffin, and Lilly. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, playing board games, camping, sitting fireside, and bicycling.