Earlier this year, Dr. Firas Adhami, DMD, joined the team of expert care providers at NorthShore Health Centers and is now practicing out of the organization’s Gary clinic. With a decade of experience in family dentistry, he brings comprehensive skills to his role. Adhami fully embraces NorthShore’s mission of providing high-quality, compassionate care to all members of the community.
Starting a career in healthcare was not originally in Adhami’s plans. He grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and started his undergraduate studies without a clear direction. He considered accounting and even did an internship at an engineering firm. He excelled but found that the work left him feeling a little bored.
“I just didn’t really feel like it was my passion,” he said. “I did some more exploring and ended up volunteering at a dentist’s private practice. I really liked what I saw, especially the relationship that a dentist is able to develop with his or her patients. I also liked the use of cool technology, like what’s used to make crowns or do fillings. That experience was a turning point, and I started working towards dental school and becoming the best dentist I could be.”
Adhami went on to complete dental school at Midwestern University’s College of Dental Medicine. For his first job out of medical school, he served at a health center in Wisconsin in a high-need community.
“Some patients would drive two and a half hours just to be seen because there were so few clinics and offices that were willing to accept their Medicaid,” he said. “It was a great experience, and I had the privilege to meet an oral surgeon who had been working in public health for many years.”
That surgeon would visit Jamaica every month or so as adjunct faculty at a dental school. There, Adhami’s mentor would train young dentists to develop their skills as both a general dentist and a specialist because the need was so large.
“That’s what he encouraged us to do, too, as new graduates,” Adhami recalled. “I took that to heart and started taking on more difficult extractions, doing root canals, and other procedures that patients really needed.”
About seven years ago, Adhami moved to the Region and began working at another health center in the area, once again in an area of need.
“I worked with a predominantly Hispanic population,” he said. “Many of my patients only spoke Spanish. They were great patients to work with and serve. It was a great experience and I stayed there for seven years before I was ready for the next leg of my journey.”
During his time in Northwest Indiana, Adhami had heard about NorthShore and its growing team. He looked more into the organization and came away impressed by its transparency and commitment to public health.
“NorthShore’s mission and values really resonated with me,” he said. “Public health is very important to me, and I have no intention of moving to private practice in the future. I like the health center model and being able to help those who need it most. I’m able to focus solely on treating patients without worrying about administrative issues or insurance. That frees my time and my mind to provide the highest-quality dental care that I can.”
Adhami takes pride in forming strong relationships with his patients. His favorite thing about his work is seeing patients transform as they stay on track with their visits.
“I feel a unique sense of accomplishment when a patient comes to me for their initial exam needing x, y, and z treatments,” he said. “Many months later, they come in and keep their appointments, and I’m able to provide high quality work. They get to a point where there’s no more disease in their mouth, they’re happy, they’re healthy, and they can smile confidently and chew properly. That really makes me feel good, like I’ve really made a big difference in this person’s life.”
Adhami will celebrate one year with NorthShore in just a few months. To learn more about NorthShore Health Centers or to schedule an appointment, please visit northshorehealth.org.
