HottyToddy.com had the pleasure recently to interview a dynamic young dentist, entrepreneur and Ole Miss alum, Dr. Alison Ross. Her story is inspiring as to how at a very youthful age, an individual can plan their life’s success and see the plan play out!
HottyToddy.com: Dr. Ross, you are a former Honors College student at Ole Miss. How did this education prepare you for your professional life?
Dr. Alison Ross: The Honors College helped prepare me by challenging me with difficult and interesting courses. It forced me to learn better study habits and encouraged me to think outside the box. I am thankful for the smaller class sizes which allowed me to get to know my classmates and professors.
HottyToddy.com: We understand that your parents have played a significant role in guiding you and as role models.
Dr. Alison Ross: Growing up, I always knew I wanted to work in healthcare as both of my parents did. My father worked as an ultrasound sonographer, and my mother worked as a pharmacist, both clinically and in academics. I loved seeing their strong work ethic and a desire to continue learning, how they interacted with patients, and how rewarding their work was to them.
HottyToddy.com: Tell us when you first decided to enter dentistry and why.
Dr. Alison Ross: I became interested in dentistry during my freshman year at Ole Miss. After spending the summer shadowing a mentoring dentist, I knew that this was the career I wanted to pursue. I have both an artistic side and an analytical side, and I love that dentistry combines both and allows me to use my hands and my brain to care for my patients by solving problems, relieving pain, and creating beautiful new smiles, too! I also love that it allows me the flexibility to both have a family and continue my career.
HottyToddy.com: You and your husband practice together in Ross Family Dental. How did you two meet?
Dr. Alison Ross: My husband, Andrew Ross, and I met in dental school during my first year and his third year after being introduced by a classmate and mutual friend. We were engaged and married not long after! I understand that working with a spouse may not work for some couples, but we love it and work well together.
HottyToddy.com: Dentistry is not the easiest or shortest career path. What all is involved?
Dr. Alison Ross: I first completed four years at Ole Miss for my undergraduate degree in Psychology, then completed another four years of dental school at the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry in Jackson. Dental school consists of a full-time schedule of classes and patient-care. It’s a challenging path but the end result is worth it.
HottyToddy.com: Practicing in the community you graduated from undergrad must be interesting. How do you enjoy this returning to Oxford?
Dr. Alison Ross: Although Oxford has grown and changed since I was in undergrad, it still has that wonderful small-town charm that I love, along with a great local community. I feel lucky to live and work here. My husband grew up in Oxford and always planned to return home after dental school, so it was a no-brainer for both of us. We’re glad we could do it together!
HottyToddy.com: Your practice has been quite successful. What are the secrets to this success?
Dr. Alison Ross: The biggest factor to our success is no secret – God has blessed us greatly. We are also very fortunate to have an amazing staff. While there are many factors in business that we cannot control, one thing we can control is that we always strive to treat our patients as our own family. It’s incredibly important to us – knowing that we have given our best effort each day.
HottyToddy.com: Children appear to be a large percentage of your clientele. Are children easy to work with in dentistry?
Dr. Alison Ross: We see a lot of families – children, parents, and even grandparents. Being general dentists gives us the opportunity to see the whole family, and we really love that. It is very rewarding to see children from a young age learn to love coming to the dentist and to watch them grow up. Seeing them from an early age helps children learn to trust us and that makes it easier on everyone.
HottyToddy.com: Your location on West Oxford Loop is easy to find. How has the location impacted your growth as a business?
Dr. Alison Ross: Our new location allows for easy access to the Highway 6/Jackson Avenue interchange which is convenient for our patients. The design of our new office allows us to be more efficient in our practice, which benefits everyone.
HottyToddy.com: Shifting gears, provide us something you learned in your early years as an entrepreneur that has been important to you even now.
Dr. Alison Ross: I believe integrity both in and out of the workplace is very important. If you do the right thing by treating your co-workers and your clientele fairly, then I count that as success.
HottyToddy.com: How has the Oxford Chamber assisted you?
Dr. Alison Ross: The Oxford Chamber of Commerce has provided us with a great network of fellow local business owners and exposure to our community. They are a great resource, and we are lucky to have such a strong organization serving the LOU community.
HottyToddy.com: Regarding your business, any New Year’s resolution?
Dr. Alison Ross: As a business, we always want to keep learning more and to use the most modern technology, so we can provide the best service to our patients.
HottyToddy.com: We understand that there has been a recent addition to your family.
Dr. Alison Ross: Yes, we welcomed our first child, Celia, in August. She is such a blessing and brings us so much joy. Maybe she’ll be a dentist one day, too!
HottyToddy.com: Is your practice still taking on new clients or are you maxed out, presently?
Dr. Alison Ross: We are definitely accepting new patients and love to meet new faces and families in our office!
Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.
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