'I wanted to make a difference': Dentist offers free dental work for kids in underserved communities

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A local dentist is going the extra mile to bring health smiles to kids in some of Chicago's underserved communities.

Dr. Ogbonna Bowden is the founder of My Dental Gallery and provides a variety of services to patients in the Woodlawn neighborhood.

RELATED: ABC7 Eyewitness News spotlights Black-owned businesses with live, week-long series

During the pandemic, Dr. Bowden said he has not closed his doors once and continues to provide emergency dental work despite the risk of COVID-19.

"When you take that oath and say you're going to help people and do whatever you can, you have to live that way," Dr. Bowden said. "You have to show people that you're committed to the fight."

His dental facility provides state-of-the-art technology to ensure patients receive a combination of efficient and the most comfortable care possible.

Bowden said he was inspired to follow this line of work when he realized a lack of access to care in the Englewood neighborhood where he grew up.

"I wanted to make a difference and make sure that kids are not going through pain while they are trying to learn in school," he said.

He said tooth decay is the most common chronic disease affecting our children and something must be done to alleviate it.

Now he runs a mobile dentistry serviced called "Smiles of Tomorrow," providing free examinations, cleaning and screenings at no cost to the school-going children and other youth.

ABC7 Chicago continues to put a spotlight on "Black Owned," local businesses that were started and maintained by men and women of color. Tune in to ABC at 11 a.m. the week of July 13-17 as Terrell Brown leads daily discussions with Black business owners in our community.

Check out Monday's edition of "Black Owned" featuring the founder and creator of Black Ensemble Theater, who is on a mission to erase racism through the performing arts.