From Poverty To California’s Largest Pediatric Dental Group Practice

Dr. Jerry Lanier is the founder and CEO of Kids Dental Kare.  His dental practice is California’s largest pediatric dentist, but things weren’t always so prosperous for Lanier who grew in a rural area outside of Snowhill, North Carolina in poverty.  His family had a farm with seventeen acres, but was dirt poor. There were eleven children, and he was the third oldest. At one point he lived in a four-room house. That is, thirteen people in four rooms.

His father never finished elementary school and his mom didn’t finish high school, but children’s education was important to them. His dad was always independent and worked for himself. He did not believe in working for other people because he didn’t want them to have too much control over his or their family’s life.  According to Dr. Lanier, “when you are poor, you don’t know anything else so it doesn’t seem bad. I remember, at one point when we had a TV that had sound but no picture; so for a while when friends were talking about TV shows, I could only talk about the parts of shows that I heard.”

As a African-American, Dr. Jerry Lanier lifted himself up from poverty to becoming the largest pediatric dentist in California with a passion for children’s dentistry that began early, during his studies at Meharry Dental School in Nashville, Tennessee, when he encountered an ailing 9-year old girl with numerous cavities and an absolute phobia of treatment. Dr. Lanier was able to immediately empathize with the young girl’s panic, since it reminded him of his own fear of doctors growing up, and made a promise to help this young girl, and other children like her, overcome the anxiety of visiting the dentist. This very promise has been the foundation and basic building blocks of Dr. Lanier’s organization, Kids Dental Kare.

Dr. Lanier started his professional career with the US Public Health Service in New Orleans working at a children’s clinic for four years, before venturing into private practice. In 1991 Dr. Lanier relocated to Los Angeles where he worked as an associate dentist, before deciding to launch his own clinic in 1994, establishing the very first Kids Dental Kare clinic.

Lanier claims his secret to success is in “giving back to the communities he serves”, and has been bestowed with various accolades from state, city and local governments as well as private organizations for his community involvement, including rendering free screenings and treatment to underprivileged children.

To speak with Dr. Jerry Lanier., Please contact: Aurora DeRose (310) 396-6090 – Aurora411@TimeWire.net.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dr-jerry-lanier-from-poverty-to-californias-largest-pediatric-dental-practice-300136988.html

SOURCE Dr. Jerry Lanier and StreetInsider.com