A native of Hapeville, Dr. Henry first realized he wanted to be a dentist in 11th grade! He developed good manual dexterity as a child building model airplanes. He also loved science. So the profession of dentistry, requiring good manual skills and a strong science background, seemed a natural for him.
After graduating from Valdosta State College in 1976, he went on to complete his doctoral training at the Medical College of Georgia in 1980. Dr. Henry served as a dental officer in the US Navy, and was deployed with the US Marines to Lebanon in 1983. After his naval career, he returned to South Atlanta to practice. He practiced in Morrow before moving the present Hapeville location in 2010.
Dr. Henry has many interests that keep him busy outside the office. He was a board member and past president of the Atlanta Early Music Alliance, and plays piano and organ in his spare time. He is a marathon skater, and has skated in foreign countries all around the world. Raising cacti, writing essays and stories, studying economic and investment trends, bicycling, and weightlifting all round out his interests.
Some people think dentists have a terrible job, but after over 40 years in practice, Dr. Henry still enjoys what he is doing. He believes nothing is more rewarding than healing fellow human beings, and giving them new outlooks on life with beautiful smiles.
Over his more than 40 years in practice, Dr. Henry has had the opportunity to travel worldwide and observe firsthand the cultural differences between societies that share our freedoms and those that do not. He has developed a loyal following of readers with his essays in which he draws thought-provoking comparisons.
We are proud of our team of caring dental professionals! Our individual journeys brought us together, but we share our passion for bringing the best that dentistry has to offer to each of our valued patients. Read our bios to learn a little more about us:
Maria Jose earned her Master's degree in social research in 2002, then co-authored a book about evaluating social programs. Maria worked her way up the ladder in the Supreme Court of El Salvador, eventually becoming coordinator of the Court's social workers. She was a frequent lecturer and conference organizer on the topic of domestic violence, and occasionally appeared on national television.
All this changed when she immigrated to the United States with her two children in order to marry Dr. Henry. She still uses her background as a social worker by doing volunteer family counseling at First Baptist Church of Peachtree City.
You are most likely to encounter Maria Jose in our business office assisting Spanish-speaking patients. But occasionally she can be coaxed into the operatories to assist her husband with dental procedures.
In her spare time, Maria Jose likes to read fiction, especially books by Danielle Steele. She says that the best thing about working at our office is allaying patient fear, and communicating with Spanish-speaking patients.
Joyce grew up in the Lakewood area of Atlanta. While still a teen, a dentist in her neighborhood trained her in dental assisting. When he tried to get her interested in attending dental school, Joyce compromised and became a dental hygienist instead. She has been helping patients maintain good oral health ever since, even when she owned and managed a restaurant!
After being a hygienist for more than 35 years, you would think Joyce might want to slow down, but she is working as much as ever. Joyce says the best thing about her job is caring for patients, and teaching them how to maintain a healthy and beautiful smile. Joyce brags that she has wonderful patients, many of which have become her close friends. She considers her patient population to be part of her extended family!
Many of you long-time patients remember Gail. She worked for our practice until 2005, when her husband was transferred to Texas. When she recently returned to metro Atlanta, we had a staff opening. Gail honored us by agreeing to work in our practice again.
Gail has one son named Grant who is attending college in Texas. In her spare time, Gail likes to read, cross stitch, and cook. She says the best thing about working in dentistry is meeting and helping different people.