Dr. Granger admits that his success is attributed to his upbringing. His great-grandfather came to America from Barbados and was raised by Quakers who sent him to the best schools he graduated from medical school and became a physician in 1889. His grandfather, Dr. Albert Reed opened the first Long Island dental practice owned by an African American in 1925 and his paternal grandfather, Augustus Turpin Granger opened his dental practice in Harrisburg, PA. Both of Dr. Granger’s parents were also dentists that practiced in Glen Cove. Dr Granger has a brother and sister that are dentists and a brother who is a lawyer. Being raised in this culture of learning allowed him to continue to pursue his education and break down any barrier that dared to stand in his way.

Exposure to Knowledge

After graduating from Howard University College of Dentistry, Columbia University Endodontic program, and the Medical College of Georgia (Implant Maxi Course), Granger exchanged the role of student for that of educator.
After completing his residency at Harlem Hospital, he took his role as a mentor seriously. He knew that many students from underserved communities may never explore their talents or spark their passion for dentistry if they didn’t have someone they could identify with, to gently guide them in the right direction.

Never Give Up

Part of the educational process is applying what you have learned. As Dr. Granger watched the rest of his graduating class get hired into thriving endodontic dental practices he could not get find a position. He learned another valuable lesson. If things aren’t the way you thought they should be, you can’t give up. You do things on your own and you make your own path.

Instead of waiting to be hired, Dr. Granger put his family’s drive to succeed in high gear and chose to open his own dental practice. By 1998, he opened his Endodontic practice specializing in root canals. As he continued to grow his practice, he worked tirelessly to help students he mentored to explore every opportunity they had at their disposal.

Strong Sense of Community

Following in his family’s footsteps, Dr. Granger was always on the lookout for ways he could serve his community. He took a position on the Glen Cove City Council where he sat for 11 years. Just like his grandfather provided many local immigrants with quality dental care, Dr. Granger knew he was destined for a life of service. Whether he was working as an educator at Columbia University or
Harlem Hospital, his goal was to serve his community and its residents and he would do so in whatever capacity presented itself.

Guidance and Mentorship
From the very beginning of his career as a dentist, he realized several things. He understood rather quickly that part of the reason African-American students didn’t pursue a higher level of education was that they weren’t guided toward the right opportunities. The opportunities were available, but the students lacked the guidance to push them forward.

When exposed to the right elements many students thrived and even went on to graduate and explore specialty areas of dentistry. While at Harlem Hospital and working with residents, Dr. Granger became not only their mentor but their inspiration as well. He says, “I am proud of former mentees practicing both Endodontics and General Dentistry throughout the country”.

Follow the Technology
Technology has become an integral part of dentistry and Endodontics. As students began to become more proficient with the new advancements in technology, Dr. Granger began implementing the new tools and techniques in his practice.

Now, every office operates digitally. Digital charts and CBCT machines offer dental scans that allow doctors to be much more efficient than ever before. In the beginning, he learned about digital technology right along with the students he mentored. Today, implementing that technology in each of his offices allows him to offer every patient the highest quality of dental care possible.

Give Patients What They Want
From the very beginning of his career, Dr. Granger has lived by three very powerful principles. “All patients, no matter who they are, want three things. They want to be respected. They want to be listened to. And, they want to know they will be taken care of.” By providing his patients with these three pillars of service, he has earned their respect and their trust. Patients leave his office feeling as if they have been treated as a member of the family, not just a number on a chart.

Building a Better Practice
Over the years, Dr. Granger has found the keys to building a better practice and used them to establish five offices in Nassau and Suffolk counties (Garden City, East Meadow, Hicksville, Babylon, and Patchoque).

Along with his two partners, Dr. Ashish Sahasra and Dr. Rahul Gupta, and ten associates, Dr. Granger is able to provide same-day root canals on an emergency basis.

While much of his business comes from referrals, he is able to provide quality dental care to patients who require root canals to save their teeth. Each office’s ability to provide immediate care to the patients who need it, sets Premier Endodontics of Long Island above the rest.
Dr. Granger continues to look for ways to educate students, care for his patients and serve his community in any way he can.

It is a legacy that started almost 150 years ago with his great-grandfather and continues on with his wife and his children.