'I have a passion for working with my hands, which is why I became a dentist. When I 'm not busy doing dentistry, I am a daily bicycle commuter and part-time artist whose works are now on permanent display along the Atlanta BeltLine. For ten years I lived in the nearby Reynoldstown neighborhood, but now that my wife and I have two children and have outgrown our old house, we recently moved to Ormewood Park, just three miles south of Inman Park.'
My focus is to keep the office running smoothly. Please let me know if there is anything we can do to make your visit better. My experience has been in both medical and dental practices. I have a strong background with insurance verification and claim filing, and have been involved in management of both corporate and private practices. I love working with people and believe in treating people the way I want to be treated. My husband and I have a son, two Goddaughters, two puppies and a close church family that keep us busy. I was born in Georgia, raised in New Jersey and took up permanent residence in Georgia in 1978. My hobbies include reading, sewing and enjoying time with my family.
My goal is to help our patients achieve the best oral hygiene on a continual basis. I take great pride in my work and patient care, and really enjoy seeing our patients smile. I came to the United States from Freetown, Sierra Leonein 1990 and Georgia has been on my mind ever since I graduated from Georgia Southwestern University in Americus, Georgia with a degree in Sociology. I later realized my passion of helping and caring for people and decided to make a career change. I obtained an associate degree in Dental Hygiene from MiddleGeorgia Technical College in Warner Robin in 2001. Since then, I have worked as a dental hygienist in both corporate and private practices. Currently, I call Ellenwood, Georgia home. During my free time I enjoy gardening and of course dental hygiene projects. Im also involved in charitable projects by volunteering for the non-profit organization, Hosea Feed the Hungry, and I help deliver supplies for schools in my hometown of Sierra Leone.
I am a South Florida native, but I have lived in the Atlanta area since 2002. I find it very gratifying as a hygienist to give care to my patients in a calm and caring atmosphere like Inman Park Dentistry, where their comfort and total wellbeing are the main concern. I began my dental career in 2000, graduating from Palm Beach State College as a Certified Dental Assistant. I later continued my education to graduate from the Medical College of Georgia as a Registered Dental Hygienist in 2007, with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene. I have worked in different private practices, specializing in both Pediatric Dentistry and in Periodontal Therapy, for several years of my dental hygiene career. Im always flattered to hear from patients that I have a gentle yet thorough touch, along with an easy-going personality and compassionate nature. I hope these qualities will help to make each patients hygiene visit a great experience. I love spending time with my husband and 2 adorable, young children. If I (somehow) find time for my own hobbies, I enjoy sailing, hiking, and riding my R6 motorcycle.
Alex J. Rodriguez came to Atlanta in 2004 after completing his education at the University of Florida. As the son of an Air Force officer, Dr. Rodriguez moved often. He was born in California, but spent time living in Virginia, Germany, Florida, Korea, and now Georgia. And although his extended family still lives in the Tampa area, Atlanta is where Dr. Rodriguez calls home. For ten years he lived in the Reynoldstown neighborhood, but in 2016 he and his wife moved to the nearby Ormewood Park area with their two young children, Oscar and Adeline, and their dog, Peach. Dr. Rodriguez is a daily bicycle commuter, and part-time artist, who has sculptures on display for the Atlanta BeltLine as well as for the City of Atlanta.
Member, American Dental Association (ADA) Member, Georgia Dental Association (GDA) Member, Northern District Dental Society Volunteer Dentist, Ben Massell Dental Clinic (since 2009) - for over 100 years, the BMDC provides the most advanced dental care available to low-income patients at virtually no cost. Dr. Rodriguez is proud to be one of ~140 volunteer dentists who make the BMDC a success by donating their time and skills to those in need.
'The Life on the Atlanta BeltLine video series looks at the lives of people just like you that live in one of the 45+ neighborhoods connected by the Atlanta BeltLines parks and trails. This time, we spoke to Dr. Alex Rodriguez, a multi-talented man who uses the Atlanta BeltLine in his daily commute.'
Dr. Rodriguez main interest outside of dentistry is cycling. From a young age he always got around by bicycle, commuting regularly during high school, college, dental school, and even today. During college he spent years as a mechanic, turning wrenches in a bicycle shop, and it was during this time that he got into the competitive side of the sport. He raced mountain bikes, road bikes, and eventually found his strength in track bike racing. He was highly involved in the University of Floridas Cycling Team, including one year as team president. He has also won several medals with the team at the national collegiate level, and even an individual state championship (Florida, 2002: Keirin race).
Today Dr. Rodriguez continues to be active in the cycling community, and can be seen commuting by bicycle daily along the BeltLine to his dental office in Inman Park. Be sure to check out Dr. Rodriguez ' bicycle-themed artwork, now on display in Atlanta 's 'Art on the BeltLine' public exhibition!
The story of how Dr. Rodriguez became a dentist: One of the most common questions I am asked is, of course, why did you become a dentist? Many people are surprised to learn that Ive been saying I was going to be a dentist since I was 5 years old!
I grew up in a military family, living wherever my dad was stationed. In the early 1980s, my dad worked at the Pentagon, and one winter we took a family trip to Puerto Rico to visit some of my relatives and get away from the snow. During that trip we spent a good bit of time with one of my relatives, Fernando, who worked as a dentist there in Puerto Rico.
For a five-year-old, the whole trip must have been amazing. Going from the cold of a Virginia winter, to the warmth and sun of a Caribbean island certainly left an impression in my young mind. Even more, I must have taken a great liking to Fernando, because ever since then I kept saying Im going to be a dentist!
Through the years I always seemed to keep dentistry in the back of my mind, but it did seem weird for a little kid to be so stuck on a profession that he barely knew! So I tried to explore dentistry a little further. In Boy Scouts, I earned my Dentistry Merit Badge, and in high school I started spending my afternoons volunteering in a dental laboratory (where crowns and dentures and such get made). There I tried my hand at the fine detailed work of designing a crown by hand with wax, and then eventually casting it in metal and polishing it, ready for delivery back to the dentist (and then ultimately in to someones mouth).
In college, I took it a little further, and would spend several hours each week volunteering at a private dental office, observing, learning, and trying to get a grasp of the day-to-day business of dentistry. And through all that, there was never anything that turned me off of the profession. I enjoyed the hands-on part so much, that I only grew more dedicated. But it was my other college job that really turned me towards the profession...
During most of my time at the University of Florida I was actively involved with the cycling team. I raced, I organized events, I was president of the team for a year, and I competed at the national level. So it was only natural for me to work in a bicycle shop while I went to school. For years I worked as a mechanic, turning wrenches and getting the feel for tools in my hand. It was this time in the bike shop that really convinced me that ultimately, I had to end up in a profession where I could use my hands. And so it all started to come together. Dentistry fit me so well. I had the interest, the dexterity, and the success in school necessary to become what I had been dreaming about as a young boy!
Parking: Free street parking is available, but can be difficult to find, so please plan accordingly. Parking along Inman VIllage Parkway is free, but may have atime-limit (check for signage) while parking along Highland Avenue has a two-hour time limit. The nearby Inman Quarter building has a paid parking garage. Many of our neighborhood patients prefer to walk or ride their bikes. We are about 100 yards from the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail, and less than a mile from the Inman Park-Reynoldstown MARTA station.
For current patients of the practice, you may reach either Dr. Rodriguez or Dr. Butler after hours by calling our office line (404-589-7799) and following the prompts. They will try and return your call within an hour.