May IS, 2013
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IN S ID E
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photo by D onovan M .S mith /T he P ortland O bserver
Dentists at Kaiser Permanente, Dr. Kenneth Wright (left) and Dr. Jam es Smith, are united in their support
for a ballot measure that would perm it the city o f Portland to add fluoride to the water supply.
METRO
Worth Fighting For
Portland dentists add
their voices to the debate
by D onovan M .
S mith
T he P ortland O bserver
Dr. Kenneth Wright and Dr. James Smith make no
quarrel about it, they want Portland’s water supply
fluoridated. The two Portland residents who have over
60 years of dentistry between them are voicing their
support for Ballot Measure 26-151.
Being two dentists who also happen to be African-
American they are not only an anomaly in their profes
sion, but they are also dead center on one side of
heated arguments that has divided minority groups in
Portland. The dentists say fluoridation is worth fight
ing for as part of the effort to deliver much needed
dental care to the public.
Dr. Smith knows the city well; he has walked the
halls of Humboldt and Jefferson alike reflecting on
those days with a particular fondness. Becoming a
dentist was not what he had envisioned for himself,
but when a former Jefferson teacher he admired in
quired to him why not, the possibility became tangible
to him until it seemingly became his only option.
After receiving his degree from Jefferson High, he
successfully pursued an education in dentistry at
OHSU. Smith says the opportunity came from the
encouragement from those around him, “There was a
lot of community support to do that, and to do things
I didn t know if I was able to achieve; people were very
supportive and influential in that.
Smith recalls his first time participating in “Mission
of Mercy” where dentists deliver much needed dental-
care to some of the city’s most vulnerable citizens,
completely free of charge.
“That just really brought to the forefront the fact
there’s so many people who don’t have dental care,
who suffer tremendously,” he said.
Dr. Wright originates from New York City. Flashing
back to early childhood, he remembers standing in the
welfare lines with his mother to receive blocks of
government-funded cheese. But he says it was having
fluorinated water as a child that gave him a good start
continued
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Help Growing Area Businesses
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The Portland Developmental is
aiming to help small businesses in
Portland achieve success by tap
ping into the power of partnerships.
On Thursday, May 30, the North/
Northeast Economic Development
Summit will include sessions with
local experts, and provide access to
some vital resources for any small
business or community organiza
tions. Topics include properly fo
cusing your investments, and the Michael C. Bush
best way to promote the advan
tages of your small business.
The event will be held at the
Convention Center and will fea
ture Michael C. Bush, serial entre
preneur andfounder o f The 8 Fac
tors. O ther speakers will include
M ayor Charlie Hales and Patrick
Quinton, executive director o f the
PDC. To register or for more
in fo r m a tio n ,
v is it
NEDsummit2013.eventbrite.com.