Blackburn Hamlet dentist Dr. Chantal Plant celebrated the 20th anniversary of her practice earlier this month with her extended family that includes her staff, both past and present, and several hundred of her patients, some of whom have been coming to see her for more than two decades.

Current and former members of Dr. Chantal Plant’s staff place flowers in a vase to make a bouquet representing all the lives she has changed by improving their smiles. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO

After graduating from the school of dentistry at the University of Laval in Quebec City in 1998, Dr. Plant took a position with a dentist in Bonneville, Alberta, a small town of just under 6,000 people about 250km northeast of Edmonton, where she had the amazing opportunity to work two days a week on a native reserve called Kehewan.

In 2000, Dr. Plant moved to Ottawa with her husband A.J. who is originally from here. It was also a lot closer to her parents who lived near Montréal. After working in Kanata for a couple of years, Dr. Plant made the decision to open her own practice in Blackburn Hamlet. She started with just one receptionist, one assistant and one examination room.

A few years would go by and key team members were added such as Stephanie, Seble and Robin. Participating annually at the Blackburn Fun Fair Parade became a tradition. Many 67s tickets were donated to local elementary schools and multiple Brush-a-Mania dental presentations were performed by Dr. Plant and her team.

The office now has a staff of over 13 and has expanded to 3,000ft2 to accommodate all of their patients.

Reflecting on her journey, Dr. Plant expressed her gratitude to her patients and the community, stating, “it has been an incredible privilege to serve this community for the past 20 years. I am immensely grate-ful for the trust my patients have placed in me and the opportunity to make a positive impact on their lives. I look forward to many more years of providing exceptional dental care and fostering healthier smiles.”

Dr. Plant was especially humbled by the number of patients who came out to celebrate the milestone anniversary with her, including some patients who’ve been seeing her since she first started practicing dentistry in Kanata.

“It so nice. I know everyone here by their first name. I find that pretty special,” said Dr. Plant, who is pretty special in her own right.

After 20 years, Dr. Plant is also beginning to see a second and even a third generation of patients. Many of the patients she had as teenagers are now bringing their own children to see her.

“The time has gone by so fast,” said Dr. Plant whose office is designed to make children feel at ease.

With 20 years already behind her, Dr. Plant is looking forward to the future and the opportunity to help even more people achieve the smile they deserve.