All Smiles A nonprofit changes the way low-income patients access oral health care B Y C L A I RE B U RC H P HOTO B Y N I K KI WHITT BE LCH
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ocal Start Dental started the way many great ideas often
do – by putting two and two together. Scott de Rossi, former dean of UNC Adams School of Dentistry, and Doug Brown, one of Scott’s advisory board members, knew there was a need for free or lowcost oral health care for low-income patients in the area. They also recognized there was a shortage of opportunities for UNC dental students to perfect certain techniques. The concept behind Local Start Dental created a symbiotic relationship between the two. It launched in 2018 and was officially established as a nonprofit in 2019. “It’s kind of a win-win for the community,” says Doug, now president of Local Start. Their plans generated buzz among local dentists, and they were greeted with “great feedback, great receptivity and a lot of excitement,” says Dr. Mark Scurria, a prosthodontist at Triangle Restoration Dentistry. He and Dr. Desiree Palmer, a general dentist and owner of Desiree T. Palmer, DMD, PA and Associates and Bull City Dental, joined as board members soon after. “I have a particular passion for providing denture care, so Local Start was a natural fit for me,” Dr. Scurria
Dr. Mark Scurria, Doug Brown and Dr. Desiree Palmer at the future site of the Local Start Dental clinic.
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