The Rhode Island Black Business Association (RIBBA) is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the Black and Woman-owned Marigold Dental Studio! Our team here at RIBBA is extremely proud of Marigold Dental Studio founder, Joke Alesh DMD, MPH, who has been engaged with our organization for several years. Dr. Alesh began her journey with us as a mentee in RIBBA’s Leadership Equity Accelerated Pathway (L.E.A.P) program, a free 5-month cohort based mentorship program with a mission to train and develop all youth of color through their academic and career goals. After completing the program, Alesh went on to becoming a business client at RIBBA, where she was provided through our technical assistance model, with tools and resources to develop what will now be Marigold Dental Studio.
Marigold Dental Studio is a boutique general dentistry practice serving the oral health needs of Providence County residents. The studio welcomes patients of all ages and offers a plethora of oral health care and cosmetic services. The dental studio has an innovative approach to eliminating the barrier of Insurance status and making dental care more accessible for RI residents in Providence County. They offer transparent pricing lists and an affordable In-house membership program for those without traditional health insurance.
Marigold Dental Studios’ vision is to be a trusted community resource for oral health promotion, clinical excellence and continuous learning guided by evidenced based dentistry. Alesh explains that she wants to make the dentist office “less scary and unapproachable”, and that she “created a location that is calming, beautiful, and affirming. Many young people of color like (herself) will be able to see themselves in the design, language, and treatment offerings available at Marigold Dental Studio”. The basis of the dental studio is represented in the name “Marigold” which Alesh named after flowers that she grew collectively with her brother as a child. Dr. Alesh is first generation Nigerian-American and says that for her, Marigold Dental Studio is representative of “family, love, and most importantly the power to grow from humble beginnings into something beautiful”.
When asked about her experience at RIBBA, the testimony given by Dr. Alesh is profound. She states that her “LEAP experience helped to strengthen (her) confidence in professional settings” and that her “LEAP mentor helped (her) work on interpersonal skills and reduced (her) apprehension around professional networking.” Alesh also stated she was able to apply the funding related resources provided to her by our team, which she otherwise would not have known existed.
We are so excited to share in the celebration of the Grand Opening of Marigold Dental Studio
and we ask that you join Dr. Alesh and the RIBBA team as we continue to embark on this journey to create and develop more businesses that foster access to communities of color. Bravo Dr. Alesh! The Grand Opening will take place on Saturday, June 3rd, 11AM-1PM (with the ribbon cutting ceremony starting at 12PM) at 727 East Avenue, Pawtucket, RI 02860. We will see you there!
To learn more about Marigold Dental Studio or become a patient, visit Marigolddentalstudio.com
To learn more about the Rhode Island Black Business Association or to join the various programs and services we provide, visit www.ri-bba.org.