Gator Dental Arts - A Legacy of Excellence
The story of Gator Dental Arts began in 1996 when two U.S. Air Force veterans, Robert Ratliff and Jamie Bartley, embarked on a new mission of service. With their extensive military training and a shared vision for excellence, they founded Gator Ceramics Dental Lab in 1997, driven by a noble goal: to transform lives one smile at a time through partnership with the dental community.
"In the Air Force, Jamie and I were trained by some of the best Board Certified Prosthodontists in the world," explains Ratliff. "We had the unique opportunity to not only craft restorations but also assist these experts during patient procedures. This invaluable experience gave us a clinical perspective that sets us apart - understanding exactly how restorations need to be produced to achieve optimal results in the oral environment. Our military background instilled in us a culture of excellence that we've brought to the civilian sector."
Partnership Through Education
At the core of Gator Dental Arts' philosophy is a commitment to true partnership with our clients. Ratliff and Bartley have cultivated an environment where education and communication are paramount. "We believe in maintaining open lines of communication between all team members - the dentist, oral surgeon, and patient," says Ratliff. "This collaborative approach ensures clarity in both process and desired outcomes. We also value the continuous learning opportunity that comes from our clients sharing their experiences and specific needs."
Expanding Excellence
A significant milestone in our journey came in 2012 when Jeff Thomas, owner of Thomas Dental Ceramics, merged his company with Gator Ceramics. With 30 years of operation, Thomas had established himself as the area's leading expert in CAD/CAM technology and was renowned for creating some of the most aesthetic restorations in the industry.
Today, the combined expertise of Thomas, Bartley, and Ratliff has established Gator Dental Arts as one of the most respected dental laboratories in the nation. "Our success stems from our approach - we function as an extension of the dental practice," Ratliff emphasizes. "By working as a unified team with dentists and oral surgeons, we consistently achieve exceptional results. Our products speak for themselves, but it's our commitment to partnership that truly defines us."
Our Team
Jamie Bartley
Co-founder/Lab Technician
Jamie is originally from West Virginia, but moved to Louisiana in 1986 with the U.S. Air Force. He served at Barksdale Air Force Base for 11 years where he worked as a Dental Laboratory Technician before leaving the military in 1997. He is an honor graduate from the U.S. Air Force Dental Lab Training School with an associate degree in Dental Laboratory. He also has an associate degree in Business Personnel Management from Bossier Parish Community College. With his extensive knowledge and experience in the dental industry, he provides management to our Quality Control team and manages our work flow and production. He makes sure that all cases are completed correctly and efficiently before they leave our lab to ensure they exceed our client's expectations. Jamie and his wife, Rana, have four children: Brittany, Seth, Jake, and Raelynn and currently resides in Benton.
Robert Ratliff
Co-founder/Lab Technician
Robert is originally from Gainesville, FL, but has lived in Louisiana since 1988. After completing his training at the school of Health Care Sciences in the United States Air Force to become a Dental Laboratory Technician, he was stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base from 1988-1996. He has over 35 years of experience in the dental industry and works very closely with the many doctors we serve to ensure our work exceeds their expectations. He attends Dental Symposiums, mini residencies, and study club meetings regularly, always looking for ways to serve our partners and help to grow their practices. He and his wife, Brenda, currently reside in Benton where they are members of Cypress Baptist Church.
Ben Hart
Co-founder/Lab Technician
Benjamen Hart was born and raised in Washinton State. Being interested in dentistry from a young age he became a certified dental assistant at the age of 16. He then joined the United States Airforce to become a dental laboratory technician. He was stationed at Barksdale AFB in 1994 and left the Air Force in 1997. While finishing his BS in Biology from LSU Shreveport he worked for a local prosthodontist. After graduating Ben worked for a local production lab and became a Certified Dental Technician before opening Custom Arts Dental Lab in 2004. Over the years Ben grew Custom Arts into the premier removable dental lab in Northwest Louisiana. In February of 2024 Custom Arts joined forces with Gator Ceramics and Apex Dental Lab Partners to create Gator Dental Arts.
Jeffrey Stewart
Production Coordinator CAD/CAM Designer
Jeff is originally from West Virginia but has lived in Louisiana, and worked at Gator for over 25 years. Jeff received a call from his friends, Robert and Jamie to join them in their new dental lab adventure back in 1999. Trained by Robert and Jamie in all aspects of the fixed side of dental laboratory operations, Jeff has a broad understanding of the production of dental restorations. Jeff is always happy to lend his assistance and is quick to say, "If I don't know the answer I will find it." He served in both the United States Army and Air Force (res.) and has an associates degree in Criminal Justice from West Virginia University-Parkersburg. Jeff lives in Benton, LA with his wife Candie. They have two sons, Ian (deceased) and Cade. Jeff enjoys cooking outdoors with family and friends. He annually participates in the "Hogs for the Cause" BBQ competition in New Orleans, LA. "Hogs" is the largest fund raiser to assist families battling pediatric brain cancer.
Jennifer Moreno
Implant Coordinator
Jennifer is originally from Jacksonville, FL, but has lived in Shreveport/Bossier since 1994. She received her dental lab training in the Air Force at Barksdale AFB from 1994-1997. She also holds an Associate's degree from LA Tech. She has been with Gator for 24 years, and watched it grow from 6 to over 80 employees. She is currently the implant coordinator, overseeing abutment cases from start to finish. She is also a member of the quality control team making sure each case meets the high standards that Gator is known for. She currently resides in Bossier with her husband and 2 daughters.
Jay Chapman
Digital Coordinator
Jay was born in Doyline, Louisiana. Upon graduating from high school, he spent 9 years in the US Navy where he learned dental assisting. He returned to Louisiana and attended Bossier Parish Community College and LSU where he earned an associates degree in business. Jay joined Gator Dental Arts in 2012 and taught himself digital design, He helped to grow the digital CAD/CAM department where is now the Coordinator. Jay works with many of our doctors helping them to produce the best results for their patients. He lives in Haughton and enjoys the outdoors and hunting. He has one daughter named Olivia.
Ashley Doyle
Removable Digital Coordinator
Ashley Doyle, a native of Louisiana, grew up spending time in her uncles dental lab. Upon graduating from Southwood High School Ashely started working at Custom Arts Dental Lab. She started out investing dentures and doing model work and quickly worked her way into cast metal frameworks. Ashley, having a knack for digital dentistry, spearheaded a new department at Custom Arts involving printed dentures and printed partial frameworks. When Custom Arts and Gator Ceramics merged Ashley now runs the removable digital department overseeing 10 resin printers and a new addition of a metal printer.
Donny Bradford
Removable Implant Coordinator
Donny began working in dental labs in 1987 as a shipping clerk. From there he worked in crown & bridge, supervised the cast partials dept, and then to the denture dept. He attended various seminars and school for further training. For 10 years he was chairside with dentists, periodontists and oral surgeons working on Hybrid Conversions and planning with patients or larger cases. He works at training new techs in dental procedures.
Mickey Bradford
Metal Frameworks Coordinator
Mickey has worked in dental labs for 40 years, starting in dental labs in 1985. He joined Custom Arts Dental Lab in 2009 which merged with Gator Dental Arts in 2024. He has attended seminars in denture setup, partial framework design and orthodontics. In his spare time, he enjoys golf.