People & Places
1 Dr. Mahmoud Serag, Karla-Marie Santiago, Dr. Lauren McKay and Latamra Thompson. 2 Local Start Dental Board members Dr. Vincent Allison of Allison Family Dentistry; Desiree T. Palmer of Desiree T. Palmer, DMD, PA and Associates as well as Bull City Dental; and Dr. Mark Scurria of Triangle Restoration Dentistry. 3 Rahma Samow, head of Straumann Group’s dental service organization, and Doug Brown, president of Local Start Dental’s board. 4 UNC Adams School of Dentistry Interim Dean Julie Byerley. 5 Steve Petersen of Fox Rothschild and Tom Fetzer of Fetzer Strategic Partners.
Something to Smile About
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BY C H A RLOT T E G OTO | P HOTO GR AP HY BY BR IAN STRICK LAN D
Local Start Dental, a
nonprofit dental treatment and training center, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 17. The 5,000-squarefoot facility is located on the ground floor of the Willard Street Apartments, an affordable rental housing building developed by DHIC and Self-Help Credit Union, at 370 Jackson St. It aims to provide high-quality dental treatment for veterans, the elderly and low-income adults throughout the area and, eventually, across North Carolina. The organization partners with the UNC Adams School of Dentistry to provide on-site student practice and continuing education sessions for licensed dentists. “This milestone is the result of an innovative and collaborative effort, thanks to the partnership of many community leaders, supporting organizations, industry partners, local dentists, legislators and donors,” says Karla-Marie Santiago, executive director at Local Start Dental.
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durhammag.com
| December 2021 / January 2022
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