Dr. Shaheen Upton, Clinical Director & CEO of Family Care Dental
Anytown Alabama tremendously shaped my career aspirations and empowered me to believe that my differences are my strengths. After attending Anytown as a teen, I continued to stay involved with the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), the organization which originally hosted the Anytown Alabama summit but who now supports ACE through its fundraising. Throughout high school and college, I actively participated in the NCCJ student leadership advisory council. The principles I learned and the friendships I acquired from Anytown and my involvement with NCCJ ultimately lead to my career development and success. As a first generation female immigrant CEO and entrepreneur, I am extremely motivated to enhance equity and increase social justice in our society. Through my company, Family Care Dental, I have developed and implemented a multitude of professional growth programs for minorities to enter and ultimately excel professionally in the dental and healthcare industry. Family Care Dental's professional growth programs support diversity and foster inclusion by creating a pathway for individuals whose socioeconomic obstacles prevented them from acquiring traditional forms of education to enter the healthcare industry. The programs offer in-job training for entry-level clinical and administrative positions and are led by experts within our company who have had many years of experience in the clinical and administrative aspects of the dental industry. These Family Care Dental leaders provide training, coaching, and mentorship to individuals who would otherwise likely be unable to enter the industry due to financial obstacles. After the successful completion of the program, candidates are awarded a certificate and are offered an entry-level position in the company. Family Care Dental also offers a scholarship program that allows dental assistants to enroll in a licensed and accelerated dental hygiene program known as the Alabama Dental Hygiene Program. To qualify for this program, the Family Care Dental dentists undergo training and obtain an instructor license to sponsor a dental assistant to progress into a dental hygienist. This scholarship is paid in full by the company, and it allows our current dental assistants to work while they attend school part-time to obtain their dental hygiene license. Ultimately, this leads to better pay and career growth once the program is successfully completed. We have sponsored eighteen individuals since our company was established in 2014. With the diversity and inclusion programs that I have implemented at my company, Family Care Dental, I aim to reduce socioeconomic disparities by giving everyone an equal opportunity for career advancement and growth. Anytown had a tremendous influence on my business practices and philosophies.
