Macon Magazine

already had friends here and a practice became available for me. We always laugh because the day I moved here, I bought a practice and found out I was pregnant all within 24 hours," says Natalie, now mother of two. For Bradshaw, his nostalgic memories of Macon and a desire to expand to his own practice led him to make Macon his home. A Vineville area dentist was retiring, so Bradshaw took over the practice and began his career in Macon. He says he can follow in his father's footsteps here and show "the same love my dad has for what he does." Unintentionally, they eventually took over practices across the street from each other where "patients come to me when they're children and I set them up for a healthy mouth for life while helping them not dread the dentist. Then I send them over to one of the many wonderful general dental practices, including my brother, to continue those healthy habits as adults," Natalie says. Bradshaw and Natalie enjoy seeing their patients out and about in Macon, just like their father did in their tight-knit Cordele community. Natalie believes "getting to know your healthcare professionals personally can build trust and improve your healthcare experience overall." Sharing the love of connecting with patients, they knew that being dentists could change people's lives, but they admit they never knew how much. Their small-town values of a close community, the importance of family and taking care of people were easily discovered in Macon, where they could also "always find something to do," says Bradshaw, now a father of three. "In the early 2000s, downtown wasn't much if you were a child. There were not a lot of parks or things to do for kids, but that has definitely changed. There is so much to do now that includes the whole family. You can definitely see the effort made by the city to make it more family friendly overall." With Macon's growth on the rise, Natalie believes "there are so many great new ideas and businesses that people are supportive of. You figure out you have a good idea, go with it, and your friends and their friends embrace it. It's really unusual for a big city." Bradshaw and Natalie are the perfect example of yin and yang, but even with their differences, they came to the same conclusion — Macon is the place to be. 'THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO NOW THAT INCLUDES THE WHOLE FAMILY. YOU CAN DEFINITELY SEE THE EFFORT MADE BY THE CITY TO MAKE IT MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY OVERALL.' - BRADSHAW FORD Georgia Grown, Organic and Artisan Goods Featuring Rocking Chair Ranch Cattle Grass Fed Beef 2381 Ingleside Avenue | Macon, GA 31204| 478.254.8722 JUNE/JULY 2021 | maconmagazine.com 31

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