Local Start Dental

Local Start Dental Local Start Dental is a brand new non-profit, state-of-the-art, on-site tooth replacement practice

09/03/2026

Three courses left on the 2026 calendar. All on live patients.

➡️Surgical and Restorative Single Implant

September 24-26, Durham
Three days, 24 CE credits, $11,999

For clinicians who already have surgical experience. CBCT analysis, treatment planning, extractions and surgical extractions, implant placement, and membrane placement for guided bone regeneration. You place 2 to 4 implants with no more than two participants per mentor.

➡️Surgical and Restorative Overdenture

October 8-10, Durham
Three days, 24 CE credits, $12,999

An overdenture case the whole way through: CBCT analysis, treatment planning, extractions, alveoloplasty, immediate implant placement, abutment delivery, and attachment pickup in a removable denture. Didactic, benchtop exercise, then live surgery.

➡️Beginner Single Implant Placement

November 13-14, Durham
Two days, 16 CE credits, $5,500

Built for clinicians starting out in surgical implantology. Posterior placement in healed sites supporting single crowns. You place 1 to 3 implants at a 1:4 student-to-mentor ratio, plus virtual planning in Carestream, immediate versus delayed protocols, osteotomy preparation, and suturing.

Live patients, real-time mentor supervision. Not typodonts, not a lecture hall.

370 Jackson Street, Durham
919.569.5533

"I'll go when I can afford it."We hear that a lot. Usually from someone who has been saying it for a few years, and whos...
09/01/2026

"I'll go when I can afford it."

We hear that a lot. Usually from someone who has been saying it for a few years, and whose small problem has quietly become a bigger one.

Here is what most people don't know: there is more than one way to pay for dental care in Durham, and they can be combined.

Sliding scale fees based on your household income.
Payment plans through several financing partners.
NC Medicaid accepted where dental coverage applies.
Records provided so you can file your own insurance claim.
Reduced-cost implants through our SIDE training courses.

Most patients end up using two or three of these together.

We wrote out how each one works and what to bring to your first visit. Link in bio, under Resources.

She had always wanted a smile she felt good about, but years of wear had taken a toll on her upper teeth.Dr. Serag resto...
08/28/2026

She had always wanted a smile she felt good about, but years of wear had taken a toll on her upper teeth.

Dr. Serag restored the full upper arch with crowns placed on her natural teeth. No extractions, no implants. The existing teeth were prepared and rebuilt to restore both function and appearance.

Worn dentition is common and often gradual enough that people don't notice how much has changed until it affects how they chew or how they feel about smiling. Treatment options depend on how much tooth structure remains, so an evaluation is the starting point.

Services provided by Dr. Mahmoud Serag, prosthodontist.

Photos shared with patient permission. Results vary by individual and are not guaranteed. Educational information only, not a substitute for a professional evaluation.

Are dental implants painful? It's the first thing almost everyone asks.The procedure is done with local anesthesia. Most...
08/25/2026

Are dental implants painful? It's the first thing almost everyone asks.

The procedure is done with local anesthesia. Most patients report feeling pressure and movement rather than pain. Recovery varies from person to person, and some soreness and swelling in the days afterward is common.
Your care team will go over what to expect and how to manage it beforehand.

Every case is different, and the only way to know what implant treatment would look like for you is an evaluation.

Educational information only. Not a substitute for a professional evaluation. Individual results vary.

Meet John. When he saw his new smile for the first time, he described feeling "excited, ecstatic, filled with happiness....
08/21/2026

Meet John. When he saw his new smile for the first time, he described feeling "excited, ecstatic, filled with happiness." That's exactly what we're here for.⁠
⁠
John's implants were placed through our collaboration with SIDE's dental implant training program — giving patients access to exceptional care while supporting the next generation of dental professionals.⁠
⁠
Think implants might be right for you? We'd love to talk. 📞 919-569-5533

Dental implants through a training course. Here is what that actually means.The dentists placing your implant are fully ...
08/18/2026

Dental implants through a training course. Here is what that actually means.

The dentists placing your implant are fully licensed, practicing professionals completing advanced training under the supervision of a board-certified prosthodontist with over 20 years of clinical experience. Not students. Not residents. Experienced clinicians advancing their skills in a supervised setting.

At Local Start Dental's SIDE program in Durham, NC, patients who participate in implant training courses save up to 80 percent compared to typical private practice rates. The crown is included. Bone grafting, if needed, is included. All follow-up appointments are included.

The first step is a comprehensive exam including X-rays for $39.

Spots in each course are limited and fill quickly. If you have been putting off implants because of cost, this is worth looking into.

📚 Read the full guide on the blog. Link in bio.
📞 Call us: 919-569-5533

Think you know your dental tools? Drop your answer below 👇⁠⁠A) Handheld X-ray unit⁠B) The Floss Police⁠C) The "Open Wide...
08/14/2026

Think you know your dental tools? Drop your answer below 👇⁠
⁠
A) Handheld X-ray unit⁠
B) The Floss Police⁠
C) The "Open Wide" Enforcer⁠
⁠
(Hint: one of these will tell us everything 👀)

Without dental insurance, a single implant can cost $3,000 to $6,000 or more at a private practice. For most people, tha...
08/12/2026

Without dental insurance, a single implant can cost $3,000 to $6,000 or more at a private practice. For most people, that number ends the conversation before it starts.

It does not have to.

At Local Start Dental, implant placement is available through our Southeast Institute for Dental Education, a continuing education program that brings licensed dentists from across the country to our Durham clinic for hands-on implant training under the supervision of board-certified specialists.

Patients who participate receive implant care at a cost determined by our sliding scale, which is based on their validated household income. It is not a free program. But for many patients, it is the only realistic path to implant care they have found.

If you have been told implants are not within reach, we would like to talk. The first step is a comprehensive exam. Everything starts there.

📞 Call us: 919-569-5533
📚 Read the full guide at the link: localstartdental.org/dental-blog

This chair could change a life.We surveyed 250 Local Start Dental patients before and after treatment. Here is what the ...
08/08/2026

This chair could change a life.

We surveyed 250 Local Start Dental patients before and after treatment. Here is what the data showed:

Before treatment, only 5% of patients said their oral health had a significant positive impact on their daily life. After treatment, that number jumped to 50%.

Before treatment, 11% said they always felt confident in social settings. After treatment, 43% did.

Before treatment, 49% of patients identified as unemployed. After treatment, that number dropped to 37%.

Before treatment, 38% said their nutrition was good or excellent. After treatment, 55% did.

A dental chair is not just a place where teeth get fixed. It is where daily life, employment, confidence, and nutrition get restored. This is what access to care actually does.

If you want to be part of this work, we would love to have you.

💛 Support Local Start Dental: localstartdental.org/support-us
📞 Call us: 919-569-5533

Most dental professionals enter this field to help people.The daily reality of practice, insurance negotiations, product...
08/05/2026

Most dental professionals enter this field to help people.

The daily reality of practice, insurance negotiations, production targets, administrative overhead, can create distance from that original motivation.

Volunteering at Local Start Dental is one way to close that distance.

We are a nonprofit dental clinic in downtown Durham serving patients who cannot access care through traditional channels. Since 2021, we have delivered $19.4 million in donated dentistry to patients from 78 of North Carolina's 100 counties. The cases are complex. The patients are grateful in a way that private practice rarely produces.

If you are a dental assistant, hygienist, general practitioner, or specialist and you want to put your skills to work outside of a production-driven environment, we would love to talk.

You can also refer patients, donate supplies, or explore our SIDE continuing education program if clinical training with CE credits is a better fit.

Read the full guide at the link below.

📞 Call us: 919-569-5533
💛 Learn more: localstartdental.org/support-us

Address

370 Jackson Street
Durham, NC
27701

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+19195695533

Website

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