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Conversations with the Inspiring Dr. Jarrett Manning

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Jarrett Manning, DDS, MPH.

Dr. Manning, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started in dentistry 13 years ago. What’s funny is that during my first year out of dental school, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue on being a dentist. My first six months of having a career were not the best. For two years, I was an employee who absolutely hated her job. It wasn’t until after I got married and my husband suggested that I start my own practice that my love for dentistry was truly realized. I stepped into my purpose the day that I opened the doors to my own dental office back in 2009. It’s truly a blessing to be able to connect with people and give them the smile and confidence they’ve always desired. Truthfully, I get more in return. It’s the daily hugs that keep me going. It’s the sit-down chats about motherhood, my patients’ families, or a patient’s most recent battle with cancer that lets me know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to me. I love hearing a patient yell down the hallway, “Doc I saw you on TV. You looked great. Thanks for representing and thanks for taking good care of us.” My patients keep me full. They are such a driving force for me. I recently had one patient come into the office for his regular cleaning and checkup. He shared with me that doctors gave him 90 days to live. After he told me that he took the time to thank me for being so good to him and his family. He gave me words of encouragement and he blessed my office and my family before he left the office. That’s one day and one patient I will never forget. It’s those moments that let me know I’m where I’m supposed to be. It’s so much bigger than just treating teeth.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For some strange reason, society and social media tends to paint an unrealistic view of business ownership. I think entrepreneurship has been highly glamorized and shown as if everything is always going well 100 percent of the time. That’s far from the truth. Of course, for me, the good of having your own business far outweighs the bad. I just never want to give a false narrative of what building your own empire is really about. There will always be bumps in the road if you’re a business owner. For me, starting a new business while going through my first pregnancy was definitely an overwhelming experience. There were a lot of sleepless nights, both due to the pregnancy and due to the pains of starting a company. Looking back on it almost 10 years later, I have no regrets about making the decision to do both at the same time. It means the world to me that my daughter gets to see first hand what being a female boss is all about. In addition, motherhood has allowed me to connect with my patients on a much deeper level. On any given day in the office, you can expect conversations that go beyond the scope of dentistry. We’re all family here at JLM Dentistry.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I’m the owner and smile creator of JLM Dentistry in Smyrna, GA. I’m affectionately known as America’s favorite dentist aka the dopest dentist. I’ve been a general dentist for 13 years. I’m super passionate about helping people improve and maintain beautiful, healthy smiles. Dentistry is an art form. It’s about being creative. I like to call myself the Picasso of dentistry. A person’s smile says so much about who they are, and I love that I have a hand at transforming lives through creating amazing smiles. My office is unlike any other. I have a small boutique practice in the Smyrna Vinings area. When you walk in the door of my office, be prepared to have a good time. I like to incorporate elements of what I love in life into my practice so that it’s not just your typical stuffy dental practice. I’ve been connected to music since being in the womb, and one thing that I absolutely love in life is good music. My patients love the music, and they love my love of music. I see clients of all colors, and one thing that connects us in life is music. It’s not unusual to see patients in the dental chair moving to the beat. Music not only connects us. It makes the dental appointment go by much easier. So, don’t be surprised if you walk into the office and hear some Alabama Shakes, 90s hip hop, Chris Stapleton, or even Meek Mill and Drake.

But even more than music, at JLM Dentistry we treat our patients like family. I like to compare my office experience to that of going to a family cookout. You simply get true Southern hospitality in our dental office. We focus on oral health and total body health. Our primary goal is to make sure your mouth is healthy because oral health is linked to total body health. We make sure that patients with systemic diseases(like diabetes, lupus, and heart disease) are educated about the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth. We specialize in gum therapy, crowns, implants, whitening, veneers, and Invisalign, and people travel to see us for amazing smile makeovers.
One thing that I’m most proud of is the fact that recently the people in the Smyrna Vinings area voted me Best Dentist. That really touched me. Not only does that let me know that for the past ten years we’ve been doing something right for this community, but it also warms my heart to know that this community has accepted me and my family with open arms. The Smyrna Vinings area has been a wonderful place to live, work, and play.

Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
I grew up on the MS gulf coast in Moss Point, MS, and one thing that I distinctively remember is always having strong passionate game-changing women educators surrounding me and wanting to see me succeed. I got my work ethic from my mom. My mom served a heavy dose of tough love. She displayed her strength and integrity by being my everything. She always put my needs above all else. She believed that I would be great, and she invested her energy into helping me achieve that greatness. She was strong resilient and determined. She was the sole provider for our family. I never saw her waiver when it came to making sure her kids had everything they needed. It is these types of investments that set me up for success in life, and it’s these experience that led me to believe early on that women have the power to do extraordinary incredible things.

Pricing:

  • free complimentary cosmetic smile consultation
  • $500 off Invisalign treatment

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Jaxon Photography, Evvett Marcell Photographers, Stacey Pierce Photography, MNJ Photo

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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