Dr. James Skylar O’Brien, who goes by Dr. Skylar, is a recent Chicago transplant from Louisiana. He set his sights on dentistry as a child, and his second-grade yearbook entry about what he wanted to be when he grew up already pointed toward it.
Dr. Skylar graduated as Salutatorian of his high school class before attending Northwestern State University of Louisiana, where he majored in Biology with a concentration in Biomedical Sciences and minored in Chemistry. During his time there, he worked to make dentistry more collaborative within healthcare by re-establishing the university’s long-standing Pre-Dental Society and advocating for the role of dentistry in overall health across departments.
He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from LSU School of Dentistry, where he began treating patients early in his training. Dr. Skylar looks back on his time there with deep appreciation for the mentors and values that shaped his approach to dentistry.
Raised in rural Louisiana, Dr. Skylar developed a patient-centered perspective grounded in listening and empathy. He believes that when patients feel heard and supported, they are more likely to take an active role in their oral health. Growing up in a close-knit community, where patients were often neighbors or even family, shaped his approach to care, and he treats every patient with the same attentiveness and compassion.
Dr. Skylar sees patients at our South Loop office, and you can meet the other doctors at Dental Group of Chicago on our team. To get started, schedule your visit with our office.
