Veteran dental hygienist Zuri Samuels has opened her own dental practice.

Ms Samuels, a qualified dental hygienist and dental assistant, said the new practice, Fresh Breath Dental, was the fulfillment of a career dream.

She added: “It’s always been a passion of mine and a goal. I wanted to run my own practice and offer services in dentistry to Bermuda.”

Ms Samuels opened the full-service practice, in the Parkade on Cedar Avenue, Hamilton — this week.

She said: “I definitely saw a place in the market for it.

“We are getting ready for the America’s Cup — the population is increasing and people are returning from overseas.

“The population is increasing and people are more aware of how important it is to maintain their health and oral hygiene.”

Ms Samuels added: “We’ve just opened and we are looking to increase the numbers of patients as we go forward.

“But we have had a good start.”

The practice employs five staff — a dentist, a dental assistant and two dental hygienists as well as a receptionist.

Ms Samuels added: “We’re basically a preventative practice — we want to educate people in the importance of keeping a healthy mouth and a healthier body.

“Our slogan is ‘a healthier mouth, a healthier you’.”

She added that mouth problems were often a signal of other health problems — and that poor oral hygiene could make existing medical conditions worse.

Ms Samuels, 45, from Devonshire, has worked in her field for 14 years.

She attended Sandys Secondary School and the Bermuda College before studying dental hygiene at Harcum College in Pennsylvania.

She later worked for several practices around the Island, including a stint at Government’s Department of Health.

The practice was designed by a US-based designer and Ms Samuels supervised the three-month construction project herself.

She said: “I pretty much did it myself — the designer came from overseas and went directly to the labour to build it — it’s a beautiful office.”

Ms Samuels set up the business with support from the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC).

She said: “It’s a huge investment and I’m happy to say the BEDC was one of my guarantors.”

And she praised Government’s Hustle Truck employment scheme, run by Major Henry Campbell, for its assistance in removing rubble and delivering supplies as the building project took shape.