A startup dental practice in Centerville has prompted the creation of another startup company from familiar faces in the Dayton market. Vacant space in the same building is still available for development.
An Ohio State graduate and mother of three children is returning to her hometown in Centerville to open a new dentistry, Uptown Dental. Owner Dr. Sahar Ullery said she hopes opening the office at 7234 Far Hills Ave. will help with scheduling backlogs caused by the pandemic.
Uptown Dental will host a ribbon cutting from 12:30 to 2 p.m. April 10. Ullery will hire a staff of eight.
Get to know Uptown Dental
Prior to the pandemic, dentists were running on a normal six-month cycle, but shutdowns threw the system off kilter, making longer wait times for patients. Ullery said Uptown Dental will provide a new avenue for potential patients to see her in the same day and week they schedule.
In addition, Ullery said she is battling a known fear that some patients have in seeing a dentist for regular check-ups.
“I'm trying to be as welcoming and user friendly as possible because overcoming that barrier of the fear is really challenging for people,” Ullery said. “To create a space that's comfortable and welcoming is important."
With nine years of experience in three offices under her belt, rather than the common industry path of acquiring a retiring dentist’s practice, she was determined to open her own office focused on modern technology and comfortability.
“I want to start a business, lead and build it around incredible dentistry but also incredible patient community involvement," Ullery said. "Being in Centerville was, to me, the only answer.”
Uptown Dental will operate with the latest innovations in the industry including taking scanner images with a wand to turn into a 3D model rather than utilizing the gooey impression material and a CO2 laser for infants with lactation issues or people with speech issues. Other offerings include CBCT X-rays which give less radiation to the patient, TMJ jaw pain treatments, Lumineers, Invisalign, sleep support services and more.
Ullery also offers services not commonly found at a dental office - lip fillers, Botox and lactation consulting for babies having trouble eating.
Other unique design features to enhance patient comfortability include chairs with massage and heat functions and ceiling-mounted TVs. The office is also paperless.
“I want the newest, best dentistry that you might get in the big cities right here in our hometown,” Ullery said. “Our tagline is modern dentistry, hometown CHARM (Candor, Humility, Appreciation, Responsibility, Modern).”
For other surgical procedures, Ullery said she will refer patients to other specialty dentists, similar to rest of the wellness sector.
Another startup spinoff
Ullery is the daughter of Connie and Jeff Sawdey, owners of Sawdey Solutions Services in Beavercreek. Helping Ullery with her business prompted the two to start a new startup-centered solutions business, Effulgent Solutions.
Ullery said Uptown Dental is Effulgent Solutions’ first client, handling portions of the business such as hiring, landlord, accounting, benefits offerings – enabling Ullery to maintain an effective work life balance between business owner and mother.
“It's a perfect mirror of what they've already done for over 20 years with the government now they’re doing it here,” Ullery said. “They’re going to allow me to just focus on being a dentist.”
Effulgent Solutions is focused on allowing the dentist to maintain majority ownership with solution support. While the company is currently only focused on the dentistry sector, Ullery said it may expand to other areas in the future.
Effulgent Solutions owns the 9,000-square-foot building Uptown Dental will operate out of. Ullery said Uptown Dental has fully renovated the 4,450-square-foot right wing of the building, leaving the left wing open for development.
Renovations on the original 1958 home turned business in 1991 were completed by Woodward Construction with equipment supplied by Patterson Dental. Other service providers to Uptown Dental included Key Bank and Taft Law.
Overall, Ullery said the investment was similar to what other dentists would spend on acquisition but starting her own business allowed her to set her parameters and niche in a location she’s passionate about.
