Good Life Smiles with Dr. Pete Harbert, DDS, MSD

Many people, children and adults alike, have anxiety about going to the dentist. Dr. Pete Harbert of Good Life Smiles in Omaha wanted to change that feeling and is committed to providing high-quality dental care and creating enjoyable dental experiences for kids and their grown-ups.

Dr. Pete considered dentistry because as a child he needed extensive dental work, including jaw surgery, implants, and braces. He shared that he didn’t always have a great experience during those procedures, so he wanted to change that for kids and decided to specialize in pediatric dentistry. Dr. Pete wants to encourage kids to brush their teeth early and take care of their teeth at home to establish a good relationship with dental care so they’re always excited to take care of their teeth.

When you step into Good Life Smiles, you feel welcome in the playful office space. Dr. Pete has a love for comics, so on his lobby wall are framed illustrations featuring children as superheroes, providing kids the confidence for their dental check-ups.

When Dr. Pete was getting ready to open his practice, his financial advisor told him that he needed an introduction to Mark Rodgers, VP Senior Relationship Manager at Core Bank. Dr. Pete set up a meeting with Mark and then Mark introduced him to Derek Liedle, VP of Commercial Banking. From that first meeting, Dr. Pete knew these were the guys he wanted to work with and said, “They showed belief in my vision plan, and they were going to take care of everything that needed to be taken care of so that I could focus on building a practice that was going to be very successful.”

Dr. Pete shared that Core Bank was able to put together a healthcare business package for him that allowed him to open the practice of his dreams and do it the way he wanted. Most other banks make a dentist work for another practice while  their own practice is being built, which typically happens very slowly. Core Bank believed in his vision and allowed him to go full-time with his practice from day one, and it has accelerated the growth, making his practice what it is today.

Before working with Core Bank, Dr. Pete had only opened one checking account in his entire life. When he was ready to open his practice, he interviewed five different banks. Right away he could tell Core Bank was the right bank for him and for starting his practice.

Dr. Pete said, “The service at Core Bank is personable. Their tagline is “You at the Core” and it’s true in every sense of it. They have gone outside our business relationship and have taken care of my family as well, within two years of opening my practice they have helped finance a house for me which is a huge thing for my family.”

For Dr. Pete, it is about the relationship with the people at Core Bank. He shared that the people have shown belief in what he wanted to do from day one and have been with him every step of the way. “The customer service is very intentional from the moment you walk in the door, and it’s second to none, they are just great to work with,” he said,“Core came through for me with the finances to make the practice of my dreams.” Good Life Smiles has now been open for two years.

If you are thinking about opening your own healthcare practice, Dr. Pete says “Absolutely go for it! When you have a vision and a passion for what you can do, nothing can stop you. Build the right team around you and you can build the practice of your dreams.”

Watch Dr. Pete Harbert’s interview.