Why He Was Nominated

Dr. Halton is a community dentist through and through. When his and his partner’s practice was lost in a fire last year, they rebuilt in the exact same location. 

Biggest Challenge

On June 29, 2014, two years to the day after Dr. Halton and Dr. Walker purchased their Pennsylvania practice, the office burned down. No one was hurt, but they lost everything. “Our extraordinary staff has stayed by our side as we worried what the future held, waded through rubble, outfitted a temporary office and began rebuilding,” Dr. Halton says. This June, nearly a year after the fire, Drs. Halton and Walker reopened their practice on the same spot. “We survived,” Dr. Halton says. “We’re better dentists after going through this — and, quite frankly, better people.”

Something People Don't Know

As a college undergraduate, Dr. Halton once sang backup for Reba McEntire. The country-music legend was performing at Penn State and let students audition for a guest spot. Dr. Halton tried out and won, belting out backup for three songs.