Dr. Adriane StanleySTANLEY FAMILY DENTAL96 • SEPTEMBER 2021
– W O M E N I N B U S I N E S S –A D V E R T O R I A LFor Dr. Adriane Stanley, taking care of herpatients’ teeth is more than just a career, it is aministry. “It is by my faith that I’ve been able todo this,” says the Oak Grove native. Throughouther childhood, Adriane always wanted tobe in medicine. “My mom was a nurse, and myfather was a pastor, and both were very serviceorientedpeople which is probably where Iinherited my desire to help others.” While inschool, Adriane loved anything to do with thebody. “Every paper or report I ever had towrite was about the medical field or thehuman body.”Adriane graduated from the Universityof Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor ofScience in biological sciences. She began herfamily early, and her first job out of college wasteaching high school biology and chemistry.She shadowed a dentist who was a friend ofher family and in doing so she realized that’swhat she was supposed to do. “Being a dentistwould allow me to work in the medical field,and to have regular hours so I could be presentfor my family.” She took the DAT exam anddid well. “That’s what solidified my decision,”she says. “I felt the Lord lead me into that field.”Adriane moved to the Jackson area whenher son was just two and a half years old so shecould attend dental school at University ofMississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry.Starting dental school with a toddler couldhave been difficult for some, but for Adriane,her son, Dawson, was a great diversion from theintense classes and studying. “He was my escape.”After dental school, she completed aone-year general practice residency which ledher to hospital dentistry. “I learned more complextechniques and procedures, as well as howto treat medically-compromised people andpersons with handicaps,” Adriane says.“I went to the operating room and workeddirectly with an anesthesiologist on full-mouthdentistry, mostly on adults. Later in privatepractice, I took children to the operating room.”For a year, Adriane worked as an associatedentist at a dental practice in Puckett beforemoving to Ridgeland and working for anotheryear as an associate dentist at the practice sheultimately bought. “I started my own generaldentistry practice in 2010.” Starting her ownpractice is a point of pride for Adriane. “It’sexciting for me to have a business where I canbe of service and care for others.”The owner of Stanley Family Dental inRidgeland, Adriane has worked to create acomfortable, caring environment for herpatients. Although she sometimes must refer toother specialists for more complex specializedprocedures, Adriane says her practice offers asmany dental-related procedures as possible sothat her patients won’t have to go somewhereelse. “We try to make it easy for people, doingwhat our patients need, from root canals andextractions to cosmetic dentistry and children,”says Adriane. I love taking care of wholefamilies.”Adriane is married to Scott Stanley. “Wemarried 13 years ago. We started dating whileI was still in my residency and married shortlyafterwards. We truly have a blended family.”Her son, Dawson, is now twenty years old andstudying civil engineering at Mississippi State.Their daughter, Anna Jane, is also twenty andis at Ole Miss where she plans on attendinglaw school. The youngest child is daughterElin, a fifth-grade student at MannsdaleUpper Elementary School in Madison.“Our hobby has always been attending ourchildren’s sporting events,” laughs Adriane.“Whatever they are involved in is what wehave been involved in as well.” The two olderchildren were on a traveling soccer teamthroughout high school. “We were on theroad a lot in those days!” Elin is involved withcheerleading at ACE Cheer Company inRidgeland. “They compete all over, so we areon the road again!”The family moved to Madison fromBrandon during the quarantine phase of theCovid pandemic last year. “We are membersof First Ridgeland Baptist Church.” Adrianesays it is a great church and her family hopes toget more involved, to the extent that it is safeto within the Covid situation.To stay both focused and fit, Adriane saysshe enjoys working out and running. “I’mtrying prepare to run a 10K at St. Jude inMemphis in the fall with a good friend,”says Adriane.Practicing dentistry is so much more thana career for Adriane. “I have dedicated mydental practice as my ministry,” she says. “Iplay the K-Love radio station in my office,which is very positive and uplifting. Creatinga comfortable, caring environment for ourpatients is important to me. I’m blessed to dowhat I do.”Stanley Family Dental is located at 101 West Washington Streetin Ridgeland. Learn more about the practice atwww.adrianestanleydmd.com.Hometown MADISON • 97