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First Black Owned Dental Laboratory Opening Soon in Syracuse First Black Owned Dental Laboratory Opening Soon in Syracuse

African American owned company making and distributing custom dental supplies

By Krizia Williams

Antonio Chavis: “There is more to life you know? There’s more opportunities there’s a lot that can be accomplished in this neighborhood.”

Reporter Krizia Williams: ACCESS DENTAL LABORATORIES IS IN AN AREA OF POVERTY AND LOW JOB OPPORTUNITY. ANTONIO CHAVIS IS AN EMPLOYEE IN TRAINING. HE SAYS THIS COMPANY IS WHAT THIS SIDE OF TOWN NEEDS.

Antonio Chavis: “They associate the better jobs in different parts of town.”

Reporter Krizia Williams: CHAVIS SAYS HE BELIEVES THIS JOB WILL TEACH HIM ABOUT LEADERSHIP NOT JUST IN THE WORK PLACE BUT IN HIS PERSONAL LIFE.

Antonio Chavis: ” I have a child you know? So it’s definitely something I want her to see me doing, you know, to motivate her.”

Reporter Krizia Williams: ACCESS DENTAL LABORATORIES STARTED OUT AS JUST A VISION BOARD AND IS GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO PUTTING THEIR CONSTRUCTION HATS AWAY AND OPENING ITS DOORS.

Todd Reid: “Our core value, here at Access, is adding value to people.”

Reporter Krizia Williams:TODD REID IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF ACCESS.
HE SAYS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL HE WORKED FOR A DENTAL LABORATORY. PEOPLE WOULD COME IN HIDING THEIR SMILES AND WHEN LEAVING THEY COULDN’T HELP BUT SMILE.

Todd Reid: “I developed a passion for dentistry.”

Reporter Krizia Williams: REID SAYS HE HOPES THE COMMUNITY WILL FIND ENCOURAGEMENT IN KNOWING ACCESS IS BLACK OWNED AND RAN.AND THEY TOO CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

Antonio Chavis: “I think it will be really inspiring to the community just to see something like this to give, you know, young people a vision that this is possible. Andd that something like this can be done. People that look like us can we can do something like this.”

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – South Salina Street will soon be seeing a new Black owned dental laboratory. Access Dental Laboratories will provide local dentist offices with supplies such as crowns, custom mouth guards for local sports teams and hopes to inspire the Black community to follow their dreams.

CEO and President of Access Dental Laboratories, Todd Reid, says he wants this company to change the perception of the African American community and inspire people to follow their dreams.

The Access leadership team is hoping to motivate the Black community by being a Black owned and ran business, create job opportunities and teach transferable skills like adaptability and collaboration.

“Our core value, here at Access, is adding value to people,” Reid said.

Reid got his start in the dental industry right out of high school. He started working for a friend owned dental laboratory and fell in love with making people smile.

“I developed a passion for dentistry cause I was working with my hands. And I actually saw the fruits of my labor,” he said.

He said people would come into the lab hiding their smiles. But when he finished crafting what they needed, the patients couldn’t stop smiling.

“You really change that persons life and that right there was like man this is what I want to do. I want to help people,” Reid said.

He said the community surrounding South Salina Street is not foreign to him as he grew up in one just like it. Reid said in such communities, many people only see violence. But he said he will be a role model by being goal oriented and striving for his dream in hopes people in the community will do the same.

Access Dental Laboratories started out as a vision board and is now blueprints guiding the Access leadership and construction team to what the building will soon be.

These are some blue prints.
These are just some of the many blueprints around the building be constructed.
© 2021 Krizia Williams
Three years ago this vision board was made and is now serving as a roadmap to what Access will one day be.
This is the vision board that sparked the entire project three years ago.
© 2021 Krizia Williams

Antonio Chavis, Access employee in training, said Access is what this part of Syracuse needs.

“I think it will be really inspiring to the community just to see something like this to give, you know, young people a vision that this is possible. And that something like this can be done. People that look like us can we can do something like this,” Chavis said

Chavis said there is poverty, a lack of job opportunities, and a shortage of people encouraging each other near South Salina Street. He believes Access Dental Laboratories will opens doors to motivation and more job opportunities.

“They associate the better jobs in different parts of town,” Chavis said.

He said he is excited about learning leadership skills through a mediatory training. Chavis is working to become a tooth crown designer, but would like to be trained in other positions around the laboratory to create versatility for himself.  He said he wants to apply those learnings to not just the work place but in his personal life.

Chavis has a daughter and said he wants to inspire her by being a part of a company, like this one,  teaching people to dream and about leadership.

“I have a child, you know? So it’s definitely something I want her to see me doing, you know, to motivate her,” he said.

Reid said this company will have a domino effect in the community. Once a person is trained and hired, that person takes skills like communication and adaptability and adds them to their personal lives. After that takes effect, their household will align with those person’s actions and values to then apply them to the next person’s life. Reid predicts this domino effect will essentially create success and inspiration for generations to come.

“Be limitless. Don’t let no body tell you what you can’t do,” Reid said with passion in giving other advice.

Access Dental Laboratories is scheduled to open its doors in January of 2022.  The staff is currently training and hiring people to join their team.

If you would like more information about Access and job opportunities, please visit the website below.

https://accessdentallaboratories.com

 

 

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