Cody’s Only VA-Approved Dentist Built a Decade-Strong Practice on Hometown Roots and a Detour Through Peru

CODY, WY — In a region where the nearest specialist can be a long drive away, Heart Mountain Dental has spent more than a decade making sure patients in the Big Horn Basin don't have to leave town for trusted, comprehensive dental care. Founded in 2015 by Dr. Josh George, a Cody native who came home to practice where he grew up, the office now holds a 95 Dental.me Score and a 5.0-star average across 21 patient reviews — a record built one neighbor at a time.

A Decade of Dentistry From the Heart

Dr. George's decision to open his practice in his hometown wasn't incidental — it was the entire premise. Heart Mountain Dental was built, in his words, on a vision of "providing honest, compassionate, and expert dental care to the Big Horn Basin." That founding promise has held for more than ten years, through a period in which the practice grew from a new storefront into what the community now recognizes as a dependable, established name. The team's approach is captured plainly in their own description of what a dental visit should feel like: "We believe dental visits should feel comfortable, not clinical." It is a simple standard, but one that shows up in how the office structures everything from first visits to emergency calls.

A Path Shaped by Service — and Peru

Dr. George's biography carries an unusual detail for a small-town Wyoming dentist: before returning to Cody, he lived in Peru for several years, an experience that left him bilingual in English and Spanish. That background broadens who can walk through the door and be fully understood, in a region where language access to specialty medical care is not always a given. Combined with his status as a lifelong Cody native, it gives Dr. George a rare dual identity — a dentist who is simultaneously deeply local and internationally seasoned, bringing both hometown trust and a wider frame of reference to the chair.

Comprehensive Care, Delivered Close to Home

Heart Mountain Dental is structured around three core pillars: preventative, restorative, and surgical dentistry, all delivered on-site in Cody. Preventative care includes routine cleanings, exams, x-rays, fluoride treatments, and oral cancer screenings — the foundation the practice credits with catching problems while they're still small and inexpensive to treat. Restorative services cover fillings, crowns, bridges, and dentures for patients dealing with decay, damage, or missing teeth, with the team walking patients through options suited to their lifestyle and budget rather than a one-size-fits-all plan. Perhaps most notable for a town the size of Cody is the practice's in-house surgical capability: tooth extractions and other oral surgical procedures are performed on-site, sparing patients a trip to a larger city for care that might otherwise require a referral. The practice is also the only VA-approved dental provider in the entire Big Horn Basin, a distinction that lets local veterans receive care through their VA benefits without traveling outside the region — a service Dr. George and his team describe as an honor, not an obligation.

The Patient Experience

What patients describe, again and again, is a dentist who treats the job as more than a job. One Cody family wrote that "the thing I like most about Dr. George is that he likes being a dentist and it shows in his work, his enthusiasm for dentistry, and the care he shows to his patients." Another patient, who brings her whole family to the practice, noted that the hygienists and Dr. George are "attentive and patient," adding that the team is "humble to questions" and leaves decisions in the patient's hands rather than pushing an agenda. That same responsiveness extends beyond the schedule book: one traveler passing through Cody with sudden dental pain called the practice's emergency line and reached Dr. George himself, who talked through the symptoms and resolved the issue on the spot — a small moment that speaks to how seriously the office takes its promise of accessible care.

Access, Hours, and Community Roots

Heart Mountain Dental keeps a consistent weekday schedule, open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., giving patients a predictable window to plan routine visits or more involved treatment around. New patients are welcomed with a first-visit special — a full cleaning, x-rays, and consultation for $125 without insurance — and the practice works with most insurance plans, encouraging anyone unsure of their coverage to simply call and ask. Beyond the exam room, the team is active in the town that shaped it, sponsoring youth sports teams and supporting local community events, a reflection of a staff that largely lives, works, and raises families in Cody itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Heart Mountain Dental's hours?
The practice is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Friday through Sunday.

Do you accept dental insurance?
Heart Mountain Dental accepts most insurance plans. Patients are encouraged to call the office directly to confirm their specific coverage.

Is Heart Mountain Dental taking new patients?
Yes. New patients are welcomed with a first-visit special that includes a full cleaning, x-rays, and a consultation for $125 without insurance.

Does the practice treat veterans through VA benefits?
Yes. Heart Mountain Dental is the only VA-approved dental provider in the Big Horn Basin, allowing local veterans to receive care through their VA benefits close to home.

What if I have a dental emergency?
The practice maintains an emergency line, and Dr. George personally fields urgent calls, including from travelers passing through the Cody area experiencing dental pain.

Does anyone on the team speak Spanish?
Yes. Dr. George is bilingual in English and Spanish, a skill developed during the years he lived in Peru.

About Heart Mountain Dental

Heart Mountain Dental is a general and surgical dental practice in Cody, Wyoming, founded in 2015 by Dr. Josh George, a Cody native who returned home to open the office after years living abroad in Peru. The practice offers preventative, restorative, and surgical dentistry on-site, holds a 95 Dental.me Score and a 5.0-star average across 21 reviews, and stands as the only VA-approved dental provider serving the Big Horn Basin.

For more information about Heart Mountain Dental, visit heartmountaindental.com.

Verified Dental.me profile: https://dental.me/wy/cody/practices/heart-mountain-dental-cody-wy/
Cody dentists on Dental.me: https://dental.me/wy/cody/
Dental.me: https://dental.me/