Dr. Dale B. Smith
Dr. Smith was born and raised in rural Indiana in a small farming community. His father was an agent on the old Wabash railroad and his mother, a homemaker. At an early age he grew up knowing the value of personal integrity, hard work, and the love of family, God, and country. He mowed yards, delivered the morning newspaper, and raised show rabbits throughout his school years. He loved being in the woods behind his house and ran on the varsity cross-country team. Speech and drama became his passion during high school that lead to his first employment as a disc jockey for a local radio station.
After high school, he enrolled as a pre-med major at a nearby college. Before he finished his bachelor’s degree, an offer from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana of a full scholarship and a graduate teaching assistant position lead to a transfer to finish his B.S. and completed a master’s degree in microbiology and immunology. He married his high school sweetheart, Deana, and they lived in married student housing at Notre Dame. During those years they loved riding bikes over the Notre Dame campus and became die-hard Notre Dame football fans.
After graduation from the University of Notre Dame in 1979, they moved to Kirksville, Mo to start medical school at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Smith had been awarded a health profession scholarship from the United States Army to attend medical school and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. During his senior year, their first daughter was born.
After medical school graduation, Dr. Smith was chosen for an internship and Otolaryngology residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. During his five years at Madigan, Dr. Smith developed a method for protecting, during thyroid surgery, the nerves that control vocal cord function. His research helped lead to the commercial development the instrument that Dr. Smith uses during his thyroid surgeries to this day. The family grew by another daughter during their time in Washington State. In 1988 after residency, the family moved from Washington to Oklahoma where Dr. Smith was assigned as the Chief of Otolaryngology at Reynolds Army Hospital at Fort Sill, Ok. A third daughter was born at Fort Sill to complete the family.
Dr. Smith arrived at Fort Sill just as the new outpatient clinic was being completed and work on the hew hospital was beginning. He had the opportunity to help shape the new Otolaryngology department and expanded the services available at Reynolds hospital. He was honored as the most productive single otolaryngologist in the entire defense department for two years in a row. It seemed like he would spend all four years of his medical school obligation payback at Fort Sill.
However, two weeks after the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Dr. Smith was assigned as a unit commander for the 47th Field hospital stationed at Fort Sill and was deployed to Desert Shield/Storm. Dr. Smith served as our nation’s only military otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon in theater until the air war started in 1991 and was also a consultant to the Army’s command in Saudi Arabia. He conducted hundreds of surgeries on U.S. military soldiers along with local military and civilians during his seven month tour. Dr. Smith received medals, awards, and commendations for this service at Fort Sill and in Desert Storm.
With his tour at Fort Sill complete in 1992, it seemed as if the family would move closer to home in Indiana. However, God was leading Dr. Smith to stay and open a civilian practice in Lawton. In July of 1992, Dr. Smith and a staff of four, opened that practice as Southwest Oklahoma Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists. He and his family settled in the Elgin area, built a house on a small farm, and raised their three girls all graduating from Elgin High School. Dr. Smith and his wife still live on the farm where they raise cattle, garden, and await grandchildren.
Now with over 25 years of experience as an Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgeon, Dr. Smith continues to practice all aspects of the Otolaryngology. His commitment to teaching others is evidenced by his appointment as an assistant clinical professor in the department of Otolaryngology at the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Smith also weekly teaches family practices residents from the University of Oklahoma here in Lawton and frequently has visiting medical students in the office. He also enjoys teaching the entire staff at the Institute as part of his desire to ensure excellence in care for all the patients treated within the facility. Some of his greatest rewards in his practice are hearing patients compliment the staff for their part in the teamwork that has blessed their lives.
Education:
B.S. in pre-med Manchester College, North Manchester, Indiana 1973-1977
M.S. in microbiology and immunology University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 1977-1979
D.O. Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirskville, MO 1979-1983
Internship Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington 1983-1984
Residency in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA 1984-1988
Credentials
Board Certified: American Board of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery 1988
Member of American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Member of the Pan American Allergy Society
Member of the Oklahoma Academy of Otolaryngology
Practice:
Chief of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Reynolds Army Hospital, Fort Sill, OK 1988-1992
Head and Neck Surgeon, 47th Field Hospital (deployed) Desert Storm 1990-1991
Private Practice Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Allergy Ear Nose and Throat Institute, Lawton, OK 1992- present
Clinical Associate Professor in Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City,
OK 1994- present
Awards:
Health Professions Scholarship US Army - 1979 - 1983
Outstanding Research Exhibit - American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery - 1988
Outstanding Research Paper - Adams laboratories 1988
Most Productive Army Otolaryngologist Health Service Command 1988-1990
President of Oklahoma Academy of Otolaryngology - 2002 - 2003
Patient’s Choice Award - 2008 - 2012
Professional Societies:
Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery
Member of American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Member of the Oklahoma Academy of Otolaryngology
Member of the Pan American Allergy Society
Affiliations:
Surgery Center of Lawton
Southwestern Medical Center
Oklahoma City VA Medical Center
Comanche County Memorial Hospital
Community Service and Awards:
Dr. Smith: Elgin High School sports physicals since 1992.
Office LETA first place award for community beautification 2011