Gay dentist
Celebrating Pride Month: Q&A with Dr. Alex Barrera
'I’m now very proud to be both gay and a dentist'
by Kimber Solana
June 21, 2022
Before starting dental institution, Dr. Alex Barrera was unsure whether or not he was comfortable existence “out” to his classmates and professors.
“Sadly, dentistry is still a very conservative profession and one where I never really saw people like me be leaders in their careers,” he said.
Thankfully, he said, he had a rare classmates who were also queer and open about their identity and relationships, making it easier for him to live truthfully while attending dental school.
“I’m now very proud to be both gay and a dentist,” Dr. Barrera said.
June is Pride Month, which is celebrated in honor of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the U.S. The goal: to commemorate and recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had locally, nationally and internationally.
The New Dentist News spoke with Dr. Barrera to discuss his journey in the profession, why he helped create the Houston Equality Dental Network, and how other dental profess
About Us – Your Trusted Dentist in Chicago
At Northalsted Dental Spa, we know how vital it is for our patients to have access to quality dental protect in an environment they can feel comfortable in. This is why we are proud to welcome all members of our Chicago community to our LGBTQ-friendly dental office. Regardless of age, ability, race, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, or family makeup, we provide exceptional look after to improve your oral health and brighten your smile.
At our office, we do all we can to make sure our patients feel at ease and anxiety-free while they’re in the dental chair. From utilizing state-of-the-art technology and procedure techniques to explaining the connection between your dental health and overall health, our team of professionals always has your best interests at heart.
Our goal is always to deliver the top dental care possible to keep our patients’ smiles healthy and beautiful. Dr. Michael Griffin has made it his personal philosophy – and the philosophy of our dental rehearse – to treat every patient like family.
We personalize and craft our services to be in line with each patient’s singular needs and smile
Dr. Robert McKernan (He/Him)
Founder and Lead Dentist
Dr. McKernan was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or Mormon church, he served a two year mission in the Dominican Republic. He later graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Spanish Comparative Literature. Dr. McKernan went on to collect his Doctorate in Dental Surgery from Touro College of Dental Medicine at New York Medical College where he graduated with honors in community service and special needs dentistry. His resume includes years of service in both public health and cosmetic private practice. He is the proud founder of Big Gay Smiles Dental and has a fire to serve his collective along with his husband. As a former Mormon he is an advocate against conversion therapy for queer youth. When not working, he enjoys competing in IronMan competitions and swimming with his local masters swim team.
Tyler Dougherty (He/Him)
Co-Founder
Tyler M. Dougherty, MPH, was born in Enid, Oklahoma, where he completed his high school learning before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Oklahoma. Driven by a love for data
Is your dentist gay friendly?
Happy Pride Month!
What is Event Month? Pride Month is the entire month of June, when the world’s LGBTQ communities come together to commemorate, recognize, and inspire those who contain helped fight for and positively impacted the rights of the LGBTQ community.
This is a special month for me, not only because my birthday is June 12, but because I am a member of the LGBTQ people. I am a same-sex attracted male.
Growing up, I was always super anxious about going to see a medical professional. I wanted to make sure they did not know I was gay because population had impressed on me that being gay was wrong. I withheld data from my doctors and opted out of procedures due to my horror of being discriminated against or in some way, hurt.
Being scared to pursue medical treatment due to fear of judgement or fear of harm is a very big issue facing members of the LGBTQ community today. Conceive going to see your doctor and being scared the whole time that you are going to be judged, or even that care is going to be withheld from you just because of who you are. That is a very scary situation and can be even scarier if you’re dealing with a potentially life-t
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