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Meet Dr. Jaha Howard, A Howard Alum And Dentist Who Will Now Be Representing Georgia In The State Senate – AfroTech

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Dr. Jaha Howard isn’t your average dentist.

The Atlanta native is a Howard University alumnus with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, according to information on his LinkedIn profile. His website states that he graduated at the top of his class and went on to earn a doctorate in dental surgery in 2007. Later transitioning to the University of Illinois, he obtained a master’s degree in oral science and became a specialist in pediatric dentistry.

Dr. Howard currently owns his own practice, A+ Pediatric Dentistry of Atlanta, which offers children’s dental care and orthodontics. In addition to not requiring patients to have insurance, it provides preventive care through an affordable monthly subscription tier.

Beyond health care, he is passionate about education, small business, and politics, as reflected in his steadfast public service. Dr. Howard, who was victorious in Georgia’s Senate District 35 special election on Dec. 16, CBS News reports, previously served on the Cobb County Transit Advisory Board. Before that, he had spent four years as an elected member of the Cobb County Board of Education.

Howard won District 35’s special election by just a few hundred votes and will now represent Atlanta in the state senate. He has campaigned for more pathways to health care in Georgia and for improved systems around Medicaid, Medicare, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). He also wants to introduce a bill that would allow new small businesses to not pay taxes for their first two years, 11Alive reports.

“If Republicans want to be about business, let’s be about small businesses,” he told the outlet.

Speaking to his overall appointment to the Senate, he told the Georgia Recorder, “I’m doing my best to love God and love people for real, and not in the way that we see in the public square. …I look forward to serving with integrity and fighting for justice.”

The Georgia Democratic Party issued a statement, per CBS News, commenting:

“Congratulations to Dr. Jaha Howard on being elected as the next Senator from District 35. Tonight’s election shows that Georgia families are sick of a generation of failed Republican leadership. Senate Democrats welcome our newest partner in the fight to lower prices and uplift communities across Georgia.”