Dr. Todd Chastain is a big believer in family.
He is the sole owner of Killen Dental Clinic in Killen, Ala., which has allowed him to focus on his wife, Joy, and children, Harrison (26) and Hailey (21). “I can arrange my patients in such a way that serves them but still enables me to be there for my family,” Dr. Chastain said.
Todd’s two children played sports all through high school. “Harrison played basketball and Hailey played tennis. The autonomy that dentistry offers as a practitioner is wonderful – I’d get their sports schedules in advance and mark off every afternoon I needed to be gone. I never missed a single basketball game or tennis match. It was fantastic growing up with my family!”
Raised in Muscle Shoals, Ala., Dr. Chastain says he ‘caught the dental bug’ in high school because of his own local dentist, Dr. Sam Albritton. “He was always very kind and patient, and would answer all of my questions,” Dr. Chastain remembers. “As a kid, I used to put together puzzles, model cars, and model planes – all hobbies using my hands. I thought I could use my hands well as a dentist.”
Following high school, Todd attended Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn. for two years before finishing his undergraduate studies in Biology and Chemistry at the University of North Alabama (UNA). Between his junior and senior years at UNA, he was offered the opportunity to work in Dr. Barry Hibbett’s (’62) lab in Florence, who became another professional mentor for Todd. “Dr. Hibbett was well-known and well-respected in the area. He had a tremendous practice, and was a man of great integrity. He set the bar very high.”
Dr. Chastain entered dental school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1987. He remembers experiencing a bit of culture shock moving from the smaller towns of North Alabama to a city the size of Birmingham, and recalls his first few months of dental school being tedious and slightly overwhelming.
“Nobody can prepare you for the rigors of dental school,” Dr. Chastain said. “You bond with your dental school class real quick because you’re all trudging through it together. You make fast friends because you spend so much time together!”
Despite the work load, Dr. Chastain excelled during dental school, particularly in the area of pediatric dentistry. During the summer of 1990, he worked for Dr. David Barnes, a professor in the School’s Pediatric Dentistry Department. The faculty subsequently presented him with an award from the American Society of Dentistry for Children (ASDC) for interest and proficiency in providing dentistry to children as an undergraduate student.
After graduating from the School of Dentistry in 1991, Dr. Chastain and his wife moved back to North Alabama. He initially worked as an associate in Muscle Shoals before purchasing his current practice in Killen from Dr. William Brown (’74) in 1993.
“I’ve never had an associate. When I came here, Dr. Brown stayed on for a couple years to help transition patients over to me, who were all extremely welcoming,” Todd gushed. “The community in Killen has done nothing but grow, and that has been a huge blessing.”
Dr. Chastain is also a man of service, and he generously gives of his time and talents. Since 2013, he has volunteered as an adjunct professor in the School of Dentistry’s Comprehensive Care Clinic and provides dental care to two local nursing homes in North Alabama.
“Working at these nursing homes has been a great community outreach opportunity for me. I’ve been able to form meaningful relationships not just with the patients, but with their kids and grandkids as well. When I started my career, I never thought I’d be treating people at a nursing home, but I’m so grateful for what it has become.
It’s clear that Dr. Chastain loves others well. From his profession to his home, putting the needs of others before his own is clearly very important to him. And even though his children have graduated high school and no longer live at home, he is adamant about spending quality time with them – even when that means navigating a ‘split’ college football season.
“I love Alabama football. I share that with my son, and that’s important to me. But my wife is an Auburn fan and my daughter is currently a senior there, so it can make for some interesting game days. Our whole family went to the 2019 Iron Bowl in Auburn, and Alabama lost. My wife and daughter had a fit and I cried on the way home!” Todd joked.
When asked if he had any advice or words of encouragement for young dental students, Dr. Chastain couldn’t help but speak one last time about how great of a profession dentistry is. “Have confidence in yourself and trust that the School has prepared you well. Dentistry has been an outstanding occupation and a wonderful blessing to me personally, and to my family. Welcome aboard! You’re in for a great ride!”
If you would like to nominate a UAB School of Dentistry alumnus to be featured in an upcoming Alumni Spotlight, please email Elizabeth Carlson at