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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.

When summer rolls around, people often look at their overall wellness more carefully. Of course, taking care of yourself is about a lot more than your beach body. The Jackson Free Press recently put out a pop-up ballot to let Jacksonians vote for the doctors, dentists, surgeons and more that help them stay healthy. Here are the results.

Best Doctor: Timothy Quinn

Photo courtesy Timothy Quinn

(Quinn Healthcare, PLLC, 768 N. Avery Blvd., Ridgeland, 601-487-6482, quinntotalhealth.com)

Finalists: Bard Johnston (Baptist Main Street Family Medicine, 601-605-3858) / Christin Hurt (Magnolia Dermatology, 601-910-3004) / Laura Barron (The Children’s Clinic, 601-420-8233) / Zilin Wang (Heart Care Plus, 601-932-8060)

Best Cosmetic Surgeon: Shelby Brantley

Photo courtesy Shelby Brantley

(The Face & Body Center, 2550 Flowood Drive, Flowood, 601-939-9999, faceandbodycenter.com)

Finalists: Adair Blackledge (Blackledge Face Center, 601-981-3033) / David Steckler (Mississippi Center for Plastic Surgery, 769-300-4055) / Scott Runnels (The Runnels Center, 601-939-3223) / Stephen Davidson (The Face & Body Center, 601-939-9999)

Best Surgeon: Reginald Martin

Dr. Reginald Martin File Photo

(St. Dominicis Martin Surgical Associates, 601-200-4350)

Best Surgeon: Phillip Ley

Photo courtesy Phillip Ley

Merit Health Surgical Oncology, 601-933-6132)

Finalists: Gustavo Luzardo (University of Mississippi Medical 
Center, 601-984-1000) / James Hurt III (UMMC, 601-984-1000) / Steven Patterson (Lakeland Surgical Clinic, PLLC, 
601-208-0234)

Best Orthodontist: Eugene C. Brown

Photo courtesy Eugene C. Brown

(Smiles By Design, 5800 Ridgewood Road, Suite 103, 601-957-1711)

Finalists: Kenneth Walley (Kenneth Walley DDS, Jackson, 601-922-3888; Madison, 601-898-1788) / Priscilla Jolly (Jolly Orthodontics, 601-605-2400) / Richard Simpson (Simpson Orthodontics, 601-919-031) / Susan Fortenberry (Pediatric Dentistry, 601-922-0066)

Best Hospital: St. Dominic Hospital

St. Dominic Hospital File Photo

(969 Lakeland Drive, 601-200-2000)

Finalists: Baptist Health Systems (multiple locations, mbhs.org) / Merit Health River Oaks (601-932-1030) / University of Mississippi Medical Center (601-984-1000)

Best Specialty Clinic: The Headache Center

Photo courtesy The Headache Center

(1000 Highland Colony Pwky., Suite 7205, Ridgeland, 601-366-0855, mississippimigrainecenter.com)

Finalists: Garvey Back and Neck (601-982-2916) / Magnolia Dermatology (601-910-3004) / Mississippi Sports Medicine (601-354-4488) / Truth Wellness Center (601-882-5801)

Best Physical Therapy: Paul Jerome Foster

Photo courtesy Paul Jerome Foster

(Specialized Physical Therapy, 533 Keyway Drive, Flowood; 113 W. Jackson St., Ridgeland; specializedptms.com, 601-420-0717)

Finalists: Brian Hendley (Madison Performance Therapy Clinic, Madison Healthplex Performance Center, 601-898-5777) / Charles Benford (Capitol Physical Therapy, P.A., 601-978-1798) / Kathy McColumn (McColumn Physical Therapy, 601-487-8456) / Mark Ware (The Strength Center Physical Therapy, 601-932-0305)

Best Chiropractor: Clayton Pitts

Photo courtesy Clayton Pitts

(Norville Chiropractic Clinic, 1000 Lakeland Square, Suite 400, Flowood, 601-398-9412, flowoodchiropracticcare.com)

Finalists: Dan Garvey (Garvey Back & Neck Clinic, 601-982-2916) / Jeremy Wilson (Tullos Chiropractic, 601-981-2273) / Laura Stubbs (Body in Balance Healthcare, LLC, 601-376-5636) / Leo Huddleston (Natural Wellness Center, 601-956-0010)

Best Urgent Care Clinic: MEA Medical Clinics

Photo courtesy MEA

(multiple locations, meamedicalclinics.com)

Finalists: Baptist Medical Clinic (baptistmedicalclinics.org) / Corner Clinic Urgent Care (601-992-0004) / Merit Health Walk-in Clinics (601-326-1000) / Trustcare (feelbetterfaster.com)


Best Nurse Practitioner: Alisha McArthur Wilkes

Photo courtesy Alisha McArthur Wilkes

(Quinn Healthcare, PLLC, 601-487-6482)

Finalists: Christina Treppendahl (The Headache Center, 601-366-0855) / Josie Bidwell (University of Mississippi Medical Center, 601-984-1000) / Kimberly Strong (Truth Wellness Center, 601-882-5801) / Rebecca Smith Adams (The Headache Center, 601-366-0855)

Best Dentist: Matthew Harris

Photo courtesy Matthew Harris

(Mississippi Smiles Dentistry, 1189 E. County Line Road, Suite 1010, 601.308.2022, mississippismilesdentistry.com)

Finalists: Brigetta Turner (Dr. Brigetta K. Turner, DDS, 601-982-2124) / Lamonica Davis Taylor (Smiles on Broadway Dental Care, 601-665-4996) / Martha Lewis (Dental Solutions of Clinton, 601-925-5163) / Shenika Kelly-Moore (Kelly Family Dentistry, 769-572-4425) / Terrance Ware (Terrance Ware Family Dental, 769-251-5909)

MFP Solutions Lab logo

The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.

Mississippi native Donna Ladd and partner Todd Stauffer founded the Jackson Free Press in 2002 in the capital city. The heavily awarded local newspaper did many investigations heralded across the state and nation and served as a paper of record due to its diversity, inclusion, in-depth reporting and deep connection to readers and dedication to narrative change in and about Mississippi. In 2022, the nonprofit Mississippi Free Press, founded by Ladd and JFP Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin in 2020, purchased the journalism assets and archives of the Jackson Free Press. A Google grant through AAN Publishers enabled Newspack's integration of the JFP archives into the Mississippi Free Press website to become part of a more searchable archive of recent Mississippi history and essential journalism.