Dr. Douglas Pohl

Dentists in small Gulf-coast towns often end up handling everything from routine cleanings to emergencies after a weekend of saltwater taffy and sandbar volleyball. Dr. Douglas Pohl keeps the practice low-key on Perry Avenue, where the live oaks lean just enough to shade the sidewalk most afternoons.

You’ll find the office at 31 Perry Ave SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548, tucked between a bait shop and the kind of hardware store that still sells galvanized washers by the scoop. The neighborhood feels like the older, quieter side of the beach—less spring-break foot traffic, more locals who remember when the street was gravel.

Preventive care, fillings, crowns, and simple extractions are on the menu, along with the occasional root canal that nobody wants but everybody needs. The phone rings at (850) 243-0800; if you’re calling after lunch on a Friday, you might hear a seagull in the background.

For directions, pull up the map at this link. If you’re new to the area, bring a book—you’ll have time while you wait for the hygienist to finish with the retiree who’s been coming since the practice opened.