Clinical Chronicles: A Q&A with Benevis District Dental Director Dr. Zakiya Scott

We are excited for an opportunity to sit down with you Dr. Scott and learn more about your passion for dentistry and the patients you serve, which is quite infectious by the way. Shall we get started with exploring how you landed on the profession in the first place? Tell me about your journey to dentistry as a career. What initially interested you in the profession and led you down that path? 

I wasn't always planning to be a dentist. I was a chemistry major at Howard University, and I remember going to a Health Science Club meeting, where they talked with us about what a career in dentistry looks like. It was a light bulb moment for me where I realized that's something I would be interested in doing. It was never something that I considered until it was presented as an option.  

I knew people needed dental care, so that's what triggered my initial interest. It might surprise some people that I never worked in a dental office prior to going into dentistry. In fact, everyone said I should be a surgeon, but I did my research and focused my energy on getting into dental school. I began my education at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry followed by residency at Temple University Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry before joining Benevis.  

What do you think made dentistry spark that light in you? 

I think it is knowing that there is such a great need for high-quality dental care and being able to help meet that demand. I was a child with a sweet tooth and my parents got on me often about the importance of taking care of my teeth. My parents were my advocates and made sure I had access to the care I needed. Unfortunately, that is not an option for everyone.  Through my experiences, I know that's not always the norm. I wanted to change that reality.

You mention your interest in expanding access to care: Is this passion what led you to Benevis or was it something else? 

I always wanted to work within the community in some capacity. I could have been a teacher if I weren’t a dentist, but I always wanted to give back to the community. I just didn't know where I was going to end up or what that was going to look like.  I started with Benevis 16 years ago and it just kind of worked out for where I was in my life. 

Having a stable job when not all my peers had a concrete position after residency was also very important to me. I'm very systematic, and I need to know what the next day is going to look like. I think that's when I knew Benevis was the place for me.   Working in the chair, that's what brings me joy. It is important to maintain a work life balance and to carve out time for yourself because life can get overwhelming. I have found time to grow my family, travel, and spend time with friends. I've been able to do the things that I still want to do within my career here. 

So, you started working at Benevis 16 years ago. Tell me a little bit about your career path from when you started to what you're doing for the company now. 

I started at Benevis when the company was just opening the Baltimore offices, so we were all new in that practice. We were loyal to each other and to our patients and I believe that has really helped us to grow the practice over the years. It's nice when I can go back to my first office location, and I see my name in a chart from 15 years ago. Some of the patients were teenagers, and now they are bringing their kids. It comes full circle for me. And can you believe that I still work with one of the same hygienists that I started with over a decade and a half later? 

I always tell folks, especially when I do interviews with doctors, that when I started back in 2008, I did not think I would still be here in 2024. But again, the patients keep me here. We're changing lives every day. It could be as simple as getting someone out of pain or fixing a fractured tooth. We're changing lives every day, and whether you do it on a small or large scale—it's equally impactful and gratifying. 

What inspires you about your work and the patients that you see? 

I think it's the huge need for the services that Benevis provides and the fact that I feel like I am a living example for a lot of patients that I see—a positive example of what you can be and what you can do with your life.  I think that's part of the reason why I'm here because I care about their treatment outcomes. I care about where they go to school and what grade they're in. I talk to them about more than just their teeth. If I have a senior in high school, I'm asking where are you going to college? What are we doing after college? It’s important that they can see me and know that they have options. 

I always tell people to consider dentistry. I'm always recruiting, because again, I didn’t really know it was an option for me. It wasn't anything that I talked about, so hopefully I plant a seed and then from there maybe I inspire someone out there to pursue dentistry. I always tell them to go to school, travel, and do all these things that I wish somebody had told me to do because they won’t regret it.

Do you have any patient stories that you could share? 

It’s important to remember that it doesn’t always have to be this grand procedure that you did to change someone's life. Just telling someone that they look nice today, trying to have a clean and safe environment for my patients means the world to me. I have young kids, so I travel with clothes because with three boys, I never know what's going to happen.  I have been known to give away clothes if I see a patient in need.  Whatever I can do to make it better, I choose to do. 

What advice would you give to someone who is considering dentistry as their future career? 

One thing I wish I had done more is go see dental practices in action as a student. You would be surprised at how open people are to have you join the profession. For some, it’s a family business, their granddad is a dentist, and their dad is a dentist. There are not a lot of dentists that look like me, so I had to find my own way to get exposure to the role.  Becoming a dentist was challenging and requires perseverance but know that you can do it. I hope that I can provide patients with a positive experience and exposure to a career that I have enjoyed very much.

You mentioned loving to be challenged. What do you believe are the key attributes that make a great dentist? 

First, I think patience is key. A lot of people are fearful of the dentist and getting through the first five minutes of the appointment is the toughest part of the visit. Being flexible and learning to compromise is also important. In my role I'm trying to get patients and especially pediatric patients to trust me. Often, they haven’t met me before, so I have to flex my conversation skills to gain trust. In these instances, I think my most valuable tools are using a lot of my own life experiences and sharing them. Being personable with your patient goes a long way in building that connection.  

And what do you like to do beyond your day-to-day job? What gives you passion in the community outside of all that hard work you're putting into dentistry? 

I definitely enjoy my time with my family and friends.  I am actively involved with my church and keep busy with volunteering in my community and sports with my kids. I’m big on travel. The world is so huge, and time is limited. So, when I have the opportunity to travel, I love to take advantage of that. Anywhere I can put my feet in the sand is my favorite location. And then there are my doggies. I love my doggies.