Meet Briana Byrnes

Troy dentist driven by desire to help others.

In a recent article about Briana Byrnes, D.M.D., the writer described her as a “socially conscious dentist.” It’s an apt description for the Troy practitioner, who only recently acquired her practice from her employer and mentor, Jeffrey Adams, D.D.S., and has already used it to further her desire to empower women.

Toward the end of last year, Dr. Byrnes began treating a 41-year-old woman whose past history included being a runaway teen, battered woman, homeless person and heroin addict. Now in recovery, employed full time and housed in her own apartment, she wished she could have her much-neglected teeth fixed so she could feel better about herself and her appearance.

Enter Dr. Byrnes, who found the woman when she contacted the Troy YWCA and explained she wanted to donate dental work to a woman in need. That donation amounted to $25,000 of dental work—extractions, bone grafting, dental implants, crowns and cosmetic dentistry—provided free-of-charge to one very grateful woman.

Briana Byrnes meets with patient Dana Brighton, beneficiary of Dr. Byrnes’s generous donation of dental work, borne out of a desire to giveback to the community.

CAREER TRAJECTORY

Briana Byrnes grew up in a racially diverse neighborhood in Maplewood, NJ. Her mother, who emigrated from Guyana, worked as a nurse, and her father was a construction manager. She received her dental degree

from Rutgers University in 2018 and completed a dental residency at Ellis Medicine in Schenectady. Her husband, Kellen Byrnes, whom she met while still in dental school, is a senior data scientist at Homes and Community Renewal, the state’s affordable housing agency.

Prior to establishing her practice in Troy, she held associateship positions in practices in Saratoga and Coxsackie. Her association with Jeffrey Adams proved to be especially important to her developing career, as it led to her first venture as a practice owner and put her in touch with a man who reinforced her already existing desire to help others. Dr. Adams, she said, encouraged her to volunteer and do pro bono work.

We asked Dr. Byrnes more about herself and her philosophy.

The altruism you exhibit. Where does it come from? Was there something or someone in your background that fostered its development?

People will only care what you know when they know how much you care. This is a sentiment my mother instilled in me from her years of experience in healthcare. Her words continue to ring true and drive my passion for dentistry to this day. I’ve been very lucky to have both personal and professional role models along my journey who have reinforced the importance of patient-centered care.

When searching for an office to purchase, it was imperative to find one that had a strong foundation in not only clinical services, but also promoted a positive patient experience. This patient-provider relationship is the focal point to our operation at Adams-Byrnes Dentistry. As an extension of this philosophy, it is important for our community to know we are actively engaged with issues and grateful for their support through acts of giving back.

Briana Byrnes on mission to Dominican Republic assembled by International Dental Implant Association with peers and studentdentists. Dr. Byrnes, third from right, stands next to Dr. Arun Garg,IDIA founder. At far right is Dr. Maria Pilar, dental surgeon from SouthAmerica, IDIA instructor and mentor to Dr. Byrnes.

We see that as an undergraduate at Brandeis University, you cofounded the Women of Color Alliance to focus on female empowerment through community service. What are “women’s empowerment issues?” How do you define them, and what are specific examples?

I have been the recipient of much goodwill and support from the women who came before me as business or academic leaders and it’s truly realigned my horizons in terms of what is possible.

I define empowerment as facilitating someone’s ability to accomplish goals they had previously considered impossible. This can be done through mentorship, opportunities for continuing education and bringing voice to those who may not have one. Our recent work with the YWCA and donation of a smile makeover was about giving confidence and care to a woman who overcame adversity. A new smile will give her confidence and courage within herself, as she works to empower others.

We believe this effort will transform our community one smile at a time, and we hope to continue demonstrating the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork among dental professionals.

How do you see your future/career developing? What is left to do?

On the clinical side, I’ve committed myself to being a lifelong learner. As a graduate of the Dawson Academy, I am confident in my skills as a comprehensive general dentist. According to Pete Dawson, the interdisciplinary approach to general dentistry works best with a strong team of specialists. I am able to transcend single-tooth dentistry by providing reliable, comprehensive care to our patients.

I define my clinical success through continuing education and keeping up with the clinical advances in dentistry. Although there are continuous innovations in dentistry, it is my hope to remain informed and educated as the field progresses forward. In the future, as I look back on my career, I hope to reflect on providing a positive impact on the standard of care within my community and my quest having provided a meaningful career for my staff.

You recently spent time in the Dominican Republic on a mission trip to help people without access to care. Are you working through a particular organization/charity?

At present, I am an active member of the International Dental Implant Association (IDIA), which combines training in implant dentistry with mission trips to communities where access to care is limited. These trips are centered around giving back and building camaraderie between dental professionals who are passionate about providing the best possible care for their patients.

What role does mentorship play in your career outlook as a dentist?

The field of dentistry faces challenges moving forward, many of which can be overcome through better mentorship and collaboration between dental providers. As dentists we all share common challenges and mutual interests. We have all had a frustrating dental insurance experience, or staffing shortages due to events beyond our control, all while trying to navigate the public image of dentistry’s value and build trust in the public. The more our experienced dentists can mentor younger providers, the healthier our field will be overall. Fostering collaboration and goodwill between providers and supporting new dentists as they enter the field is imperative to the dental profession. This would be the ultimate win given that this collaboration would not only benefit our profession but the patients we serve by elevating the standard of care and, ultimately, transforming communities.

There’s one other thing you should know about Dr. Byrnes. She minored in sculpture at Brandeis and hopes to return to it. In a previous interview with an Albanybased writer she put it this way:

“It paired well with dentistry. I bring my artistic side into cosmetic dentistry. I consider dentistry both an art and a science.” z