The two say they were first drawn to the center, operated by Catholic Charities Maine, because of a desire to work with children, which the center served exclusively when they started in the early 2000s. They say they have stayed at Jessie Albert because they still get the opportunity to work with children and because they know they are making a difference.

“We help out a lot of people here who otherwise would not get care. The number of offices that accept MaineCare, we can probably count on one hand. It’s just a great thing that we’re both still here helping out these patients,” says Dr. Davis, the center’s clinical director.

“I think it’s rewarding. Sometimes, I will temp at a private practice office, and every day is the same. Everybody shows up for their appointments. They always brush their teeth. Their overall dental health is good compared to some of the patients we see here, so I think it’s rewarding to be able to help patients that would not get care if we didn’t exist,” says Bazemore, the director of Oral Health Services.

The Jessie Albert Dental and Orthodontic Center has been serving patients since 1971. The driving force behind its establishment was Jessie Albert, a mother of six who was having trouble finding affordable dental care for her children. Originally located in a railway station donated by Bath Iron Works, it is now located in a modern facility on Congress Avenue.

While originally founded to serve children, the center now provides treatment to patients of all ages and all income levels. Such is the demand for services that the center can’t currently take on any new patients.

“We don’t keep a waiting list because in about an hour, we could fill eight pages worth, so we just advise people to please call back,” says Bazemore.

The center is seeking to add hygienists so it can increase the number of patients it serves. Dr. Davis and Bazemore say there are advantages to working for a place like Catholic Charities Maine.

“The benefits are great. You don’t get this kind of benefit package in a private practice, and I think that is pretty important,” says Bazemore.

“One reason I didn’t go into private practice was because I didn’t want to deal with a lot of headaches that private practice brings, like having to make a lot of the decisions yourself. Here, it’s not just one person making a lot of decisions,” says Dr. Davis.

Bazemore and Dr. Davis also praise the people with whom they work, including each other.

“She is a very hard worker, very reliable, dependable, a multitasker,” says Bazemore, speaking of Dr. Davis. “I know I can ask her to do something, and she will do it.”

“And I have to say the same things about her. We both have similar work ethics,” says Dr. Davis. “With 20-plus years under our belts, we just understand the business from a nonprofit perspective, and we know what needs to be done to achieve our goals. That’s hard to find in other duos that don’t have as much experience.”

The two are not only colleagues at work. They have developed a friendship as well.

“We used to run half marathons and stuff together,” says Dr. Davis. “We had children about the same time, got married about the same time. We’ve grown up together.”

“That’s a good way to put it,” says Bazemore.

The duo hope others will consider joining the center’s staff and discover what they found there — a supportive work environment and an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives.

“Dental health is overall health,” says Bazemore. “You can go to the doctor every year for your physical, but if you haven’t been to the dentist in 20 years, your oral health could be a contributing factor to a wide range of things such as diabetes or heart disease.” 

To learn more about the Jessie Albert Dental & Orthodontic Center, call 207.443.9721 or visit www.ccmaine.org/jessie-albert-dental.