2019 40 Under 40: Dr. Derek Magers, 31

SBJ photo by Wes Hamilton

At Ascend Dental Design, Dr. Derek Magers wears many hats. He’s not only a partner and dentist, but also handles marketing, human resources, purchasing, maintenance and team training.

Magers graduated from Missouri State University with a bachelor’s in cellular and molecular biology before being the youngest in his graduating class from University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry.

At Ascend Dental, Magers performs such operations as oral surgery and sleep apnea procedures. Off the clock, he and his wife volunteer at Hill City Church and host a weekly mentorship group for college students.

What is your proudest moment? The day my son was born. My wife and I struggled with infertility, and this process makes you realize how little control you have and how much a child is a gift from God.

What are you doing to make the Ozarks better? Raising strong, kind and compassionate children that love the Lord and will make a positive impact on the world.

What is your best productivity hack? The mornings set the tone for the rest of the day and, if used well, can give you clarity, focus, time to work toward your bigger goals, time to stretch/exercise, pray, eat and plan your day before most people are even out of bed. I write down my top three tasks I would like to accomplish that will make the biggest impact for my business and life.