Sami Mitri Ghareeb,
D.D.S., MAGD, LLSR
Founder and Dentist, Ghareeb Dental Group
MAGGIE HATFIELD
Sami Ghareeb, the founder of Ghareeb
Dental Group, is proof that sometimes
even the best laid plans go awry. Luckily
for him—and his patients—things worked
out even better than he initially imagined.
“My original plan was to come to the
United States to further my education and
then return to Lebanon after receiving
my doctorate,” he says. “I met my lovely
wife, Kay, during my schooling at West
Virginia State University and became
involved in the local community while
working at my uncle’s grocery store in
Poca. It was then I decided to start my
career in the U.S. I knew I wanted to
serve my new community through the
health care field.”
Ghareeb earned his doctor of dental
surgery degree from Meharry Medical
College and a fellowship and mastership
from the Academy of General Dentistry
(AGD). In 1975, after he had completed
his education, he decided to open his own
dental practice. This proved to be one of
the biggest challenges of his life as he had
to work full time at the dental clinic at
the West Virginia Division of Rehabili-
tation Services to earn an income while
working evenings and weekends to start
his practice and build clientele.
G ha reeb has g row n t hat f i rst
500-square-foot office space in Poca to
five locations that now include South
Charleston, Cross Lanes, St. Albans and
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE
Photo by Mike Hall.
Teays Valley, all of which are family run.
“My greatest joy in practice is witness-
ing the success of my sons and sons-in-
law at their own Ghareeb Dental Group
locations and the family legacy we have
established in dentistry in West Virginia,”
he says.
Over the last 44 years, Ghareeb has
fulfilled his promise of serving his com-
munity through health care. In October
2001, he helped found the dental clinic at
West Virginia Health Right, which con-
tinues to serve residents in five counties.
He remains hands-on with the clinic by
volunteering several Fridays a month, and
he has created a culture of giving back
within his practice to ensure the doctors
and other staff members volunteer as well.
His community service doesn’t stop
there. He also leads Ghareeb Dental Group
in providing free dental screenings for
participants of the Special Olympics in
Charleston every year, as well as Mission
of Mercy’s annual events. He has also
served as the director and promoter of the
Putnam County Dental Health Council
in Eleanor since the 1970s, benefitting
both locals and assistants in training.
Ghareeb’s dedication to helping com-
munities through dentistry goes beyond
West Virginia. He has a track record of
volunteering at remote area medical clinics
and helping establish clinics where none
existed before. In the 1990s, he donated