The History of Southern Dental

Southern Dental was founded in 2000 by Dr. Dale E. Frankfurth (1941 to 2010) who envisioned a group dental practice that could serve all of the public’s dental needs
in the Columbia area. Dr. Frankfurth graduated from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1968 and practiced in his father’s dental office in Michigan until 1985 when he relocated to South Carolina. At that time, he operated a branch office of Alpha Family Dental Centers on Two Notch Road in northeast Columbia. It was during this period that Dr. Alvin Danenberg, who specialized in Periodontics, joined the practice.

Unfortunately, Alpha Dental Centers decided to cease operations in the Columbia area and Dr. Frankfurth merged his existing patient base with those of Dr. Osmer, who had operated two dental offices — one near Providence Hospital and another in Gaston. Dr. Danenberg stayed on to provide periodontal services, and as the practices grew, Dr. Frankfurth added staff. Throughout his career, he also mentored several newly-graduated dentists in order to better prepare them for their profession.

In the 1990’s, Dr. Frankfurth consolidated the two offices into one central location near Lexington Hospital. In 2000, he moved the practice, now named Southern Dental, into his dream location, the present office building located on Sunset Boulevard in West Columbia. In 2001, Dr. W. Carlos Smith merged his practice with Southern Dental, which now included a total of four general dentists, a periodontist and four dental hygienists. The practice served as many as 10,000 patients.

In 2007, Dr. Frankfurth was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and after a long, struggle , he succumbed to the disease on September 23, 2010. Shortly after his death, Dr. Lawrence J. Lorenzi joined the practice and together with Dr. Danenberg, Dr. Smith and their wonderful, devoted staff, will strive to make Southern Dental a practice worthy of its founding father, Dr. Dale E. Frankfurth.