Paul Leavy/The Valdosta Daily Times

VALDOSTA — Benjamin Tanner II has partnered with Dr. Larry Black of Quitman Family Dentistry and Dr. Eric Castor of Lakeland Family Dentistry to provide dental services at the trio’s new facility, Valdosta Family Dentistry.

Located at 2935 N. Ashley St., the professionals at Valdosta Family Dentistry offer 24-hour emergency assistance and same-day porcelain veneer treatment.

The inspiration to open Valdosta Family Dentistry stemmed from the need to service the greatest amount of patients at an affordable rate.

“A lot of people want dental services but don’t want to drive the long distance,” said Castor, “and so we wanted to bring something affordable and of high quality to the Valdosta area.”

The dentists said that a patient’s smile often says a lot about how confident they are, as well as how comfortable they are at expressing who they are.

“Being able to relieve people from pain, change their lives, and improve their self-esteem has been among the most rewarding of experiences,” said Tanner. “I’ve had experiences with people where I’ve actually changed their minds after a visit.”

The facility has partnered with several insurance companies, and the dental professionals have access to the latest in dental equipment. (See box.)

Dental care for children is also available as early as one year old.

“Dentists suggest seeing a child at one to make sure things are developing, but routine checks will usually start at 3 years old,” Castor said.

Tanner promotes an environment where the entire family can receive frequent and relaxing visits.

“Within the next two to three years, I just want to continue establishing relationships one patient at a time,” said Tanner. “I don’t want to be running from room to room. I want to make it so people don’t have to come every three months but as often as they need.”

Tanner is a University of Georgia graduate with a double major in cellular biology and genetics. He’s been credited as having the top dental admission test score of anyone in the 2005 dental school.

Tanner said that he will bring that knowledge to Valdosta Family Dentistry.

Valdosta Family Dentistry will host a grand opening in the coming weeks. Tours of the facility, refreshments and free cancer screenings will be offered.



Q: What are your hours of operation?



A: We are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. We also extend our emergency call services to 24 hours a day. If you call the office, the call will automatically be forwarded.



Q: What services do you offer?



A: We pride ourselves in offering supreme service. The facility offers restorative work, fillings, crown and bridge work, dental implants, IV sedation, and many other services all done in the same day. We also perform emergency work, 24 hours a day to ensure the patient is taken care of.



Q: Which insurance plans do you accept?



A: We accept a variety of plans including United Concordia, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Americus, Medicaid, Delta Dental Retiree, and Guardian just to name a few.



Q: What is your take on the power of a smile?



A:: A confident smile can open doors. There’s no need to be embarrassed because we can fix your problems.



Q: Do you accept walk-ins?



A: Yes. We prefer to have patients make appointments, but we’ll cater to all of our patients when they need it.



What is Same Day Dentistry?

The E4D Dentist System provides your dentist with the capability of delivering Same Day Dentistry to you using the latest in technology and clinically proven materials. In contrast to conventional dentistry, which often takes two full appointments to restore a single tooth, the E4D Dentist System enables the dentist to scan the prepared tooth in your mouth, design the final restoration virtually then send the information wireless to an in-office milling station, and then mill your metal-free restoration with precision in just minutes. Your dental professional can then adjust, characterize with color or polish your final restoration to final luster.

Source: D4D Technologies LLC.



Valdosta Family Dentistry

Address: 2935 N. Ashley St.

Phone: (229) 333-8484

Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday