The family behind Stover Family Dentistry

After 42 years of serving Gaston County both in the office and the community at large, Drs. Doug and Susan Stover of Stover Family Dentistry will be moving toward retirement.

The family has excitedly announced that they will be, “turning over the reins,”  to their daughter, Dr. Jenna Stover and the practice’s newest addition, Dr. Haleigh A. Bass.

Stover Family Dentistry was born in the '80s, after Doug and Susan Stover merged their separate dental businesses.

The pair met after graduating from Emory University School of Dentistry in 1981.

After graduating, Doug established a private practice in Kings Mountain, and Susan purchased the long-time practice of Dr. Bill Woody in Gastonia, according to the Stovers.

The two married in 1982, and their joint practice on Garrison Boulevard was established in 1986.

The Stovers’ daughter, Jenna, later went to dental school herself at the Adams School of Dentistry at UNC Chapel Hill, making her a fifth generation dentist.

Following graduation, she joined the family practice and has worked alongside her parents ever since.

The community in Gaston County is very important to the Stovers, according to Jenna.

Doug and Susan have committed much time in their lives to community service in the county as well as local and state professional dental associations, according to the family.

Doug also played an instrumental role in developing the Gaston Family Health Services Dental Clinic and the Dental Pathway at Highland School of Technology, according to Jenna.

Thanks to his involvement with the Highland School of Technology, the Stovers are confident that Dr. Haleigh Bass is the perfect person to step into their shoes at the office.

She is a Mount Holly native who graduated from Highland’s dental pathway.

“We wanted someone invested in the community, because we try to be,” Doug said.

Haleigh said she is committed to maintaining that sense of community.

“This practice allows me to treat all ages, families, and give back to the community,” she said.

Susan and Doug will be cutting their schedules back to working one day per week, to allow them to continue work on some long-time patients, some of whom have celebrated their 100th birthdays as patients of Stover Family Dentistry.

“It’s very humbling to have people come and see you over the years and bring their kids to see you, and sometimes, even their grandkids come see you,” Doug said.

The Stovers say they are excited to welcome Haleigh and look forward to introducing her to their patients.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Stover Family Dentistry welcomes a new associate dentist