All smiles: Detroit dentist expands practice and secures own building through Motor City Match

• After opening its first location in Jefferson-Chalmers in 2019, Diamond Smiles Dentistry has moved to a larger location off Gratiot.

• Dr. Aisha Akpabio received $100,000 in Round 27 of Motor City Match

• The new Diamond Smiles Dentistry facility has more than doubled in size, with 15 staff members and a team of four dentists, including various specialists and pediatric providers

• Motor City Match has awarded $19.5M in cash grants; 85% of overall winners are minority-owned businesses, 70% are women-owned and 68% are owned by Detroit residents

MAY 12, 2025 (DETROIT) — The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) and the City of Detroit held an official ribbon cutting today for Diamond Smiles Dentistry's expansive new location in Detroit’s Gratiot Town - Kettering neighborhood. This marks the 184th Motor City Match-supported business to open in the city.

Born and raised on Detroit’s east side in the Morningside neighborhood, owner Dr. Aisha Akpabio began her dentistry career as a dental hygienist in 2004. After completing a General Practice Residency in New York City and practicing in NYC and Los Angeles, she returned home to serve the community that shaped her.

“I’ve been east and west, but Detroit is the best,” said Dr. Akpabio. “Being a dentist was my childhood dream, and I wanted to serve my own community.”

Diamond Smiles Dentistry originally opened in a leased space in Jefferson Chalmers in 2019, operating with just three team members. Dr. Akpabio quickly outgrew the E. Jefferson office and found a vacant medical facility on Gratiot Avenue worth revitalizing. The move expanded Diamond Smiles from 2,200 to 7,000 square feet on a 1.78-acre lot. It also allowed Dr. Akpabio to own rather than rent her building.

“I knew I would outgrow the space on Jefferson,” said Dr. Akpabio. “Owning my building is incredibly special – this new space gives us permanence, autonomy and the opportunity to grow.”

The newly renovated space positions Diamond Smiles Dentistry as a full-scope dental provider while setting the stage for Dr. Akpabio’s vision of a comprehensive wellness hub offering diverse health services. The clinic now houses a gum surgeon, pediatric dentists and expanded services to reduce access gaps that previously sent Detroiters to suburban dental care.

Dr. Akpabio’s community roots run deep. A graduate of Detroit Public Schools, she frequently volunteers at local schools, career days and panels. She hopes to establish a direct oral health partnership with the district, now called Detroit Public Schools Community District, in the future.

“Dr. Akpabio isn’t just fixing teeth. She’s creating jobs and providing accessible healthcare for Detroiters – right here in the community,” said Marshall Bullock, director of Government Affairs for the City of Detroit. “This is what we hope to see through Motor City Match. We love it when business owners pour back into the community that helped mold them into the people they are today.”

Located at 6455 Gratiot Ave., Diamond Smiles Dentistry received a $100,000 Motor City Match grant during Round 27 for construction and equipment costs. The expansion created 10 treatment rooms for four dentists, including specialists and pediatric providers, with a 15-member staff. All but three Akpabio team members live in Detroit.

“What Dr. Akpabio has built here is incredible. She started small, earned her patients’ trust and never stopped dreaming bigger,” said Sean Gray, vice president of Small Business Services at the DEGC, which manages the Motor City Match program. “Diamond Smiles Dentistry shows what’s possible when determination meets the right support, and we’re proud that Motor City Match could play a role in helping her expand and continue serving Detroit with excellence.”

Through 28 rounds of Motor City Match:    

• Total cash grants: $19.5 million (Total leveraged investment: $104.5 million)   

• 85 percent are minority-owned businesses   

• 70 percent are women-owned businesses   

• 68 percent are businesses owned by Detroit residents

About Motor City Match    

Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations including, Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Foundation, Hudson Webber Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, New Economy Initiative and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Motor City Match applications are available quarterly. More information is available at www.MotorCityMatch.com