Ed Burnette
After graduating from Grady High School in Atlanta and attending Georgia State University for two years, he joined the United States Navy and served as a Hospital Corpsman. Then it was back to school, completing his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1955 at the University of Georgia. He worked as a bacteriologist for the Georgia Department of Public Health before deciding on a career in dentistry which would become the vehicle through which he contributed so much to so many. He earned his D.D.S. degree from Emory Dental School in 1961.
But it was through his skillful hands and compassionate heart that he offered the most to this community he loved so much. As he would share many times, “When I chose a career of dentistry over medicine, I made the correct choice. I have thoroughly enjoyed dentistry.” And that joy truly emanated in the generations of families he cared for and the time and energy he contributed to the many national, state, district, and local professional associations he was a part of.
If we look at the one thing professionally that had the farthest outreach to the greatest number of people, we would have to say his role as the Director of the Green Warren Dental Clinic of the Good News Medical & Dental Clinics from 1997 until January 2015. It was the first and only FREE dental clinic in the state of Georgia at the time, and today it is rated as one of the Top Ten Free dental clinics in the United States, an honor that he and all of the community can be proud of.