Practice History
Dr. Smith was the Chief of Otolaryngology at Reynolds Army Hospital at Fort Sill, Ok from 1988-1992. During that time he served as the nation’s first Otolaryngologist- Head and Neck surgeon in Desert Shield/Storm for 7 months deployed with the 47th Field Hospital from Fort Sill. Dale B. Smith, D.O. opened his private practice in Lawton in 1992 as Southwest Oklahoma Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists with 4 staff members. Within a few months of this beginning, Dr. Smith took a partner (John H. McGath, M.D.) and added Lawton’s first private audiologist in a medical practice. As the first and only otolaryngology group in southern Oklahoma , Southwest Oklahoma Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists, quickly developed a reputation as the source for excellent and compassionate care covering all areas of otolaryngology.
From the very beginning, the practice was also set apart from any others in the region by many firsts for otolaryngology in Lawton. Dr. Smith was the first to do endoscopic sinus surgery and offer the most complete allergy and sinus treatment in Lawton. Dr. Smith was the first in the area to offer laser surgery for snoring and sleep apnea, the first to offer nerve monitoring during complex head and neck surgeries, and the first to incorporate professional environmental testing and treatment into complete therapy for allergy and sinus disease.
Dr. Smith along with three other surgeons also founded the first free-standing multi-specialty surgery center in Lawton in 1996. The Surgery Center of Lawton now allowed patients an alternative to the expense and institutional atmosphere of the hospital for outpatient procedures. Patients quickly endorsed the surgery center option and now more than 95% of all the surgery done by the group is done at the Surgery Center of Lawton.
In 2003 expanding staff and continuing to add the latest in medical and surgical care, lead to the practice to change its name to the Allergy, Ear, Nose, and Throat Institute. This change reflected the expanding services that lead to the establishment of Centers of Excellence, now possible with a move into a new custom-built free standing building at 4920 SW Lee Blvd. Conveniently located between the Surgery Center of Lawton and Southwestern Medical Center, this 12,000 square foot state-of-the-art medical building now houses the latest in otolaryngology care including the first office –based (Mini-CAT) CT scanner in the State of Oklahoma.
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By 2010, at the request of local Altus physicians, the Altus Satellite office was added in the Carter Medical Building across the street from Jackson County Memorial Hospital. Supported by over 25 members of the office and nursing staff, our doctors and licensed clinical staff are dedicated to providing the best in compassionate and excellent otolaryngology care within the model of Centers of Excellence.
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Our Mission
To follow the Golden Rule in providing excellence and compassion in the care of our patients - all to the Glory of God. We realize that there is more to providing excellence in medical care than just the technical aspects of the correct diagnosis and best possible treatment. Care of the entire patient involves understanding of the human spirit and the need for treating others with the compassion we would desire for ourselves. We believe this is our reasonable service as in everything we do is to the glory of God.