Dr. Ijeoma Tagbo remembers her earliest trips to the dentist as pleasant ones; surrounded by a caring environment where her dental needs were taken care of without pain or fear. Later in life, those memories coupled with a love of working with her hands and a desire to enter the healthcare field spurred her to pursue a career as a dentist.
Ijeoma says her husband and family were always supportive of her goals, and fondly remembers the dental instructors and attendings that helped her develop skill sets. She achieved her degree as a Doctor of Dental Medicine at the prestigious Goldman School of Dentistry at Boston University and then moved to Hartford, Connecticut to complete a General Residency Program at St Francis Hospital.
Dr. Tagbo then went on to complete an advanced fellowship program at Temple University before settling into practice, initially in Maine. When her husband, Austin, received a unique opportunity to practice Hospitalist in Maryland, she knew it was time to start her own dental practice. Dr. Tagbo has now relocated to her New Columbia office that will be opening up soon.
Dr. Tagbo is a member of several prestigious organizations, including the American Dental Association, the Maryland State Dental Association, Omicron Kappa Upsilon (a dental honor society), and is a fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. This represents a commitment to lifelong learning and, most importantly, a commitment to serving her patients with the most up-to-date materials, procedures, and techniques dentistry has to offer.
Ijeoma feels strongly about giving back to the community, sowing seeds that will benefit the lives of children locally as well as those abroad. She supports several organizations that meet the needs of children around the world.
The move to Maryland and the opening of her own dental practice, Shore Family Dentistry, has been exciting for Dr. Tagbo and her family (she and her husband, Austin, have two kids). “We had visited Maryland many times in the past, and love the weather and culture here,” she says, adding that “It’s a terrific place to raise kids!”
Ijeoma says her passions (besides dentistry) revolve around her family and the arts; the four enjoy traveling together, and she loves dancing, music, and painting. “I’m an artist at heart,” she laughs. “I’m lucky enough that I get to have that in my personal and professional life - bringing smiles to my patients is the greatest reward.”