Now a practicing dentist in the Atlanta area, Dr. Travis Kimble says the first spark for pursuing the profession started as a middle school career fair project. “My science teacher suggested I look into dentistry. At first, I thought, why would I want to look at that? Everyone is afraid of the dentist!”
But the more Dr. Kimble researched the role, he saw it was more than cleanings and fillings. It offered him an opportunity to help others who may not like the way their teeth are like he did growing up. “I didn't always have the best teeth. I didn't like how they looked. Going through grade school, I got bullied a little bit, so I was like, what can I do to change this?” By the end of high school, he was ready to pursue the path to dentistry.
Dr. Kimble completed his undergraduate studies in biology at Valdosta State University and took a gap year off to prep for dentistry school applications. As part of the process, Dr. Kimble completed a summer enrichment program at the University of Detroit Mercy Dental School. “The program gave me exposure to certain clinical aspects of dentistry to get you acclimated to what you are going to prepare yourself to do.”
After the enrichment program, Dr. Kimble said he devoted himself to studying for the Dental Admission Test (DAT) with the aim of taking the test just once. He was successful and attended Howard University College of Dentistry. After graduation, Dr. Kimble completed a general dentistry residency at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Flint, Michigan, and then moved back to his hometown of Atlanta to work in a local practice.
Soon after, he discovered Benevis and thought the organization would be a good fit for him, given its mission to provide care to children and families who may otherwise struggle to get access to oral healthcare. “With Benevis being located among underserved communities, I’m more familiar with that. I come from humble beginnings and did my residency in Flint, Michigan, which had a similar population. The organization gives back, and I am helping my community,” Dr. Kimble said.
Now with Benevis for almost two years, Dr. Kimble has begun to build strong relationships with patients and help them adopt the practice as their dental home. He shared the story of one patient who he helped overcome anxiety to fix two decayed teeth in the front of her mouth. “She had a fear of coming to the dentist because when she was younger, she got stainless steel crowns placed, and she said it traumatized her."
Now in high school, the issue was impacting the patient’s confidence. Dr. Kimble advised her that it could be addressed with fillings in the front teeth. During her first procedure and appointment, she became overwhelmed; but Dr. Kimble encouraged her that coming in was a great first step. They rescheduled and were able to get the work done during the second visit.
“Once we were done, she started crying again because she said her teeth looked like nothing had happened. She was so happy and grateful for that,” Dr. Kimble said. “Now she's more trusting and she comes back for her routine exams and cleanings. Her demeanor is calmer and more relaxed now because she knows what to expect and that we're not there to hurt her.”
In part because of his rewarding patient experiences, Dr. Kimble has an appreciation for finding a career in dentistry and hopes others are inspired by his journey to join the profession. “Dentistry is a lifelong commitment, so you have to put in the work,” Dr. Kimble advises others considering the career. “Shadow if you can. Talk with the hygienists and office manager so you get a full idea of what dentistry is. It's not just doing procedures. It's being a team leader, being a role model, and being a mentor to some patients. Because they're going to be looking at you and if they see someone who looks like you, they're like, okay, maybe I can do it too.”
Proud to be back in his hometown, Dr. Kimble is a proud graduate of Tri-Cities High School in Atlanta, which focuses on the performing arts, where he trained on the cello. While he doesn’t perform anymore, he enjoys going to see musicals as well as symphony and orchestra performances. Outside of dentistry, Dr. Kimble likes to go to the gym, cook (jerk chicken and rasta pasta could be on the menu), and travel, especially internationally.
Dr. Kimble sees patients at Benevis-supported Franklin Dental & Braces in the Forest Park, Georgia, location. Learn more at https://www.franklindentalgroup.com/locations/forest-park-ga/.