Today we’d like to introduce you to Gilda C. Banta.
Gilda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
After obtaining my dental license, I had the opportunity to take over the practice of Dr. Herbert H. Eighmy in beautiful Huntington Beach. I am fortunate to have been working in this beautiful facility since 1995 along with my amazing team.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Running my own business requires me to wear many hats. In addition to doing dentistry, I have to manage my staff, oversee the purchase of supplies, and keep up with continuing education, to name a few. I would advise those just starting out to look for existing practices as opposed to starting from scratch. Of course, there are many successful practices that started from scratch. It is just my opinion that an existing dental office has it’s “built-in” patients already. As long as the hand-off and the transition are done correctly, it will be a smoother start.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
As a General Practitioner, we have a wide variety of services. Cosmetic Dentistry is our niche, and we see patients of all ages. Over the years, technology has evolved and kept up with the changes is important. We are now a paperless office, we have digital X-rays, and a digital scanner. Photographs, along with radiographs is a big part of our diagnostic process.
What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
Times have changed over the past twenty years. Back then, dentists were prominently males. Nowadays, although there are more female dentists than ever before, women are still outnumbered.
When I was younger, I let that intimidate me. I worried about how patients would react to their first female dentist. Over time, I came to realize that in many ways, being female is an asset, and I have never let gender intimidate me since. When in conversation and when people find out that I am in the dental field, the next question I get is, “so are you a dental assistant or a hygienist? Proudly, I tell them, “I am a dentist.”
Have you seen the movie “On The Basis of Sex”? It’s about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A must see – very empowering!
Contact Info:
- Address: 4900 Edinger Ave Huntington Beach, CA 92649
- Website: https://www.gildabantadds.com/
- Phone: (714) 846-4411
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gildacbanta/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GildaBantaDDS/
- Other: https://www.gildabantadds.com/invisalign/
Image Credit:
Gilda C. Banta
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
