Air Force veteran Shawn E. Powell, DDS, MS, and his wife, Alicia, are all about the Papillion community. Dr. Powell says that’s why the practice is named Papillion Orthodontics instead of being named after him.
“My name is on the door because it legally has to be,” he says, “but it’s not about me. It’s about the patients, the community, and people we serve.” Although they have patients from the surrounding area, Papillion is their heart and home. Most of the team members are also Papillion residents.
The Powells both spent their formative years in rural Nebraska, so they enjoy Papillion’s small-town feel and sense of community. That appreciation is obviously returned. In 2025, the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce named Papillion Orthodontics Small Business of the Year.
Their dedication to Papillion even shows up in the office décor. One area features a gallery wall of smiling faces. Those aren’t stock photos, though. They are senior pictures of satisfied patients from local high schools.
Although Dr. Powell is a homegrown Nebraskan, he was born in Germany and lived there and in Switzerland as a child because his parents were professional opera singers. He didn’t attend his first English-speaking school until seventh grade. Patients sometimes still recognize him as the son of Herr Powell, who taught German in the Springfield Platteview Community Schools district for many years.
Dr. Powell joined the U.S. Air Force during dental school and received a scholarship which helped him cover tuition expenses. After graduation, he joined the Air Force Dental Corps and served at both Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha and Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, separating at the rank of Captain. He completed residencies in both pediatric dentistry and orthodontics and has been a board-certified diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry since 2008.
After the Air Force, Dr. Powell completed his advanced education, practiced and taught for several years at the UNMC College of Dentistry and Creighton University School of Dentistry. He has mentored many dentists and dental specialists across the state, and he always tells students the Air Force is a great option.
“Especially if you don’t know what you want to do,” he says, “You can get experience, see the world, and meet a lot of cool people.”
Dr. Powell likes to see children early to build relationships and educate parents on their child’s dental development. Most patients can be treated with one phase of orthodontics during early adolescence, however some with specific conditions may need a two phase approach. He often tells parents, “If this was my kid, here’s what I would do.”
That advice is an easy fit because Dr. Powell and Alicia are busy parents. He is excited to be a show choir and theatre dad at Papillion South this year, and Alicia recently finished several years as PTO president at Bell Elementary, where their son is a sixth grader.
The Powells are deeply rooted in school and community life. Whether they are cheering at sports games, participating in community events, teaching kids about dental health or welcoming high school Health Academy students for job shadowing, they stay actively involved.
They also partner with several local organizations through leadership roles, with Dr. Powell serving on the board of Moving Veterans Forward and Alicia sitting on the board of the Papillion Community Foundation. This dedication to community also shows through the courtesies they offer to families of military members and teachers.
From the name on the door to their spot on the bleachers at the ballgame, Papillion Orthodontics is focused on the community. The Powell family and their team handle the details, and the smiles around town tell the story.