hurts — causing pain in the jaw as well as headaches. That’s where Dr. Lynn Locklear and Life-Enhancing Dentistry come in.
The ailment is the result of an improper alignment of the jaw and causes a painful degeneration of the joint. Using X-rays and specialized techniques, Locklear is able to find the proper alignment of the jaw and facial muscles and alleviate the pain.
Locklear, 43, completed more than 350 hours of post-graduate training at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. She ranks among a small percentage of dentists trained in neuromuscular dentistry, which emphasizes the muscles and nerves surrounding the mouth. In recognition of her practice, BE has named Locklear our Business Innovator of the Year. The award recognizes individuals who have set trends and broken new ground in a particular industry.
Locklear, who has been practicing traditional dentistry since 1992, launched the practice (www.lifeenhancingdentistry.com) in Washington, D.C., in 2002. Since that time, revenues have grown from $710,000 in 2003 to more than $1 million in 2005.
“The big thing for us is to educate the public and the healthcare industry about neuromuscular dentistry,” explains Locklear, president and CEO of the practice. “Not only does this technique provide relief from the pain of a misaligned jaw, it’s also a unique approach to cosmetic surgery. In addition to providing the patient with an attractive smile, we’re also achieving beautiful cosmetic results.”
RISING STAR AWARD: CHUCK CREEKMUR & GREG WATKINS ALLHIPHOP.COM
While attending a business conference, Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur, co-founder of AllHipHop.com, was approached by an attendee who complimented him for being professionally dressed. “It wasn’t a disrespectful comment, but I didn’t feel as though I needed to be thanked for wearing a suit,” says Creekmur, who hopes to debunk some of the negative stereotypes associated with the hip-hop community.
Creekmur, 34, and co-founder “Grouchy” Greg Watkins, 32, want to present a positive image of hip-hop. Through their plans to relaunch the site, which currently includes news, reviews, and industry insight, the partners expect to broaden their balanced and thorough presentation of the hip-hop culture. “The hip-hop community includes a wide range of people,” adds Creekmur. “We want people to understand that hip-hop is a microcosm of society as a whole.”
The duo, who have emerged as credible experts who discuss all facets of hip-hop, garnered the Rising Star Award, which recognizes individuals under 35, whose outstanding skill, professionalism, and perseverance have established them as future business leaders.
Creekmur and Watkins expect to spread the message of AllHipHop.com — already one of the most widely read Internet sources for hip-hop news — by expanding their media platforms to include Internet television and radio. Since its 1998 launch in Delaware, the site has grown to deliver more than 30 million page views per month. Company sales exceeded $550,000 in 2005 and revenues are expected to reach $1 million this year.
TEENPRENEUR: CHESTINA PERRY DRIVE SAFE
Chestina Perry remembers the rude gestures and cross looks she got from impatient drivers when she was learning how to drive three years ago. Her frustration sparked an