Thrive Dental in Concord: A Career That Began at a Free Clinic

Ask around Concord and you will find people who have not sat in a dentist's chair in five years, eight years, more. Not out of neglect — out of arithmetic. At some point the cost got ahead of them, and the longer they waited, the worse they assumed the news would be.Dr. Kevin Golden did not set out to become the answer to that. He was a first-year college student in Georgia, already sure he wanted a career in healthcare but not yet sure which one, when he volunteered at a community service event called Dentistry from the HEART — a day where local dentists give free care to people living with dental pain they cannot afford to fix. By his own account on his practice's website, what stayed with him was watching what good dentistry did for someone in pain who had run out of options. That day decided the rest of it.He is originally from Atlanta. He studied chemistry at Valdosta State University and earned his dental degree from the Dental College of Georgia in Augusta. Today he practices at Thrive Dental, 5965 Thunder Rd NW, Suite C, in Concord.

The practice covers the usual ground: preventive cleanings, exams and X-rays; cosmetic work like veneers, bonding and whitening; restorative work including crowns, bridges, root canal therapy and implants; clear aligners; and dental emergencies. But the procedure list is not what Thrive Dental leads with. What the practice puts front and center is the experience of walking in — an office designed so a dental visit feels calm rather than clinical, with staff who take the time to know patients by name.For families without dental insurance, Thrive Dental sells annual membership plans directly rather than turning people away or leaving them to guess at costs. The Adult Preventive Plan runs $429 per year. The Child Preventive Plan, for ages 13 and under, is $396. The Periodontal Plan is $649. Each includes a routine set of X-rays and one emergency exam with X-ray per year, alongside cleanings; the periodontal plan adds four periodontal maintenance cleanings and two fluoride treatments annually. Additional family members are $29 off each, and the plans can be mixed and matched — the practice's own worked example is a family of four at roughly $1,600 a year. Prices and terms change, so confirm the current numbers when you call.

For anyone who has been away long enough to dread going back, the first appointment is described plainly: a cleaning, a comprehensive exam, and X-rays, after which Dr. Golden sits down with you to go through what he found. If everything is healthy, you schedule your next visit at the front desk. If something needs attention, he explains the results and describes what he would recommend before anything else is scheduled.The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed weekends. The front desk is at (704) 610-8444 or Frontoffice@thrivedentalnc.com. They were listing themselves as accepting new patients at the time this was written.Why a church is writing about a dentist: untreated dental pain quietly costs Cabarrus County families sleep, work days, and the confidence to sit across a table from someone. A practice that prices care openly for the uninsured removes a barrier that keeps neighbors away for years. Dignity includes being able to smile without covering your mouth.Solo Faith Church is at 587 Old Charlotte Rd SW in Concord, NC. Free food pantry, free DoorDash delivery for families who cannot get to one, open every Sunday.Originally published on the Solo Faith Church blog: https://www.solofaith.org/post/thrive-dental-in-concord-a-career-that-be... Support Note: This spotlight is part of Solo Faith Church's local business directory initiative to uplift our Concord neighbors. Information was responsibly compiled from the business's public website and publicly available records to help our congregation and community discover local services.