November 2008

Dr. Brian Mann joins Mann Dental Care

 

Staff Reports

For 20 years, Dr. Cleveland Mann has been the lone dentist in his Americus practice and even the Albany office he opened five years ago.

 Now he has some new blood — well maybe the same blood.

Dr. Brian Patrick Mann, 25, has joined his father at his dental practice.

“It’s a dream to enter the profession and join him in practice,” said the younger Mann, whose recent work has included fillings, crowns, and bridges.

As a child, Brian said he never seriously considered the dental field. He added he even considered becoming an astronaut before turning to dentistry.

The Sumter County High alumnus majored in premed and minored in chemistry at Xavier University of New Orleans, Louisiana.

He once considered cardiology when he first got to college.

The elder Mann never stood in his way.

 “I never pushed him to become a dentist,” said Cleveland on a recent afternoon while working from his 905 N. Jackson Street office in Americus. “I just wanted him to make the best out of his education.”

 But during the latter part of his time at Xavier, the promising cardiologist had a change of heart and decided to attend dental school at Howard University.

“I started to look at dentistry, where art and science were mixed into one,” he said, referring to a lot of the new technology in dentistry.

For a child growing up in a small town, New Orleans and Washington D.C. were a culture shock. But for Brian, after the fast life in the big cities, he was glad to come back to Americus to practice.

 He said he wanted to separate himself from the large number of dentists who flock to large cities.

“I wanted to go to a place where I could make a difference,” he said. “And I thought it would be great to make a difference in my hometown.”

Cleveland said it’s a dream working with his son, who has enabled him to serve more patients.

"I like having him here," Cleveland said. "It's fun to come to work and work with your own son"

Brian said he doesn’t expect to be treated any differently from his father’s other employees.

“We are all family in this practice,” Brian said.

And, just to add, the family is also awaiting another family member who is studying la.

So, Brian and Cleveland aren’t the only doctors in the family. Cleveland’s youngest son, Justin Mann, 21, entered law school at Howard this fall.

Justin initially considered pre-med, majoring in biology. But he said in an earlier interview with the Americus-Sumter Observer that college introduced him to a lot of options.

“I want to make the best use of my talent,” said the Sumter High School 2004 class Salutatorian. “Law fits my skills more.”