Dentist, civic leader Dr. Melvin Wright retires after more than 50 years of practicing in Jackson

July 31 marked the end of an era in Jackson’s history.

It was the final day of work for Dr. Melvin Wright, who spent 53 years practicing dentistry in Jackson, the final two of those working for Helping Hands of West Tennessee giving dental care to those in need.

“It’s time for me to go,” Wright said in the final hours before he finished. “I was already thinking about it earlier this year, and then with this pandemic and everything going on, it’s time for me to go and I’m OK with it.”

Wright is retiring at 83 years old. He came to Jackson following two years in the Army after getting his dental degree from Meharry Medical College.

But he almost wound up elsewhere after his military service.

Coming to Jackson

“I was signed up to work in Columbia,” Wright said. “I had a building set aside for me, and the Masonic lodge there had contracted for the basement of their building to be renovated for my practice.”

But before he started, he wanted to make a visit home to see his family in Brighton. On the drive in, he stopped in Jackson to see a friend from college, and he found out a dentist in the Hub City had recently died and was encouraged to meet with his widow.

“I met with her, and she asked me to come to Jackson,” Wright said. “I wasn’t sure if I could, but if I could I would.”

Wright said he returned to Columbia and asked if he could be released from his contract. The Masons said if the contractor — who was set to begin the renovation the following day — would let them out of their contract, they would let Wright go to Jackson.

“The contractor was OK with it, so they let me go,” Wright said. “And it was a great decision for me and my family.”

Wright and his wife, Georgia, moved to Jackson, and they’ve been here ever since.

Community involvement

Wright began practicing in the building of his predecessor and was renting an office with two examination rooms 212 Tanyard St., where he would practice for nine years.

He had intentions of being active in whatever community he practiced in before he got to Jackson, so getting involved in various charitable and economic efforts here was on his to-do list.

Those efforts parlayed into a career that didn’t just include his dentistry work, but also work leading organizations and serving on boards for organizations like the YMCA, the Chamber, the Jackson Symphony, St. Paul CME Church, West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation, Lane College, Jackson Downtown Rotary and NAACP. He also eventually helped start 100 Black Men of West Tennessee in 1991.

“We all need to get involved in the community because all of us working together can only make it better,” Wright said. “That’s what I wanted to do, and I appreciate Jackson for accepting me as well as they did.”

Consistent practice

After nine years on Tanyard Street, Wright bought the old Chi Omega fraternity house on Hayes Avenue in 1976 and stayed there for 40 years.

“That building became vacant after Union University moved to the north end of town, and I was ready to get to a bigger place,” Wright said. “We stayed there until 2016.”

After developing a reputation as a dentist in town, it was during his 40 years on Hayes Avenue that Wright began garnering influence in the community.

He credited his relationships through the Chamber with various leaders in town and their businesses offering dental insurance to allow his practice to do as well as it did.

“And that’s how small business works in the small town that Jackson was back then,” Wright said. “If everyone supports each other while doing the best work they’re capable of, that’s a good chance for everybody to really succeed.

“And I had people who helped me succeed, and I liked to see others succeed as well.”

Helping Hands

Wright began to slow his practice down some after experiencing health issues related to his heart. He'd begun considering retirement when he met Sabrina Blue, who’d just moved to Jackson to become the executive director for a new nonprofit in town, Helping Hands of West Tennessee.

Blue approached him about getting the new organization started as a place to help those who needed dental work but didn’t have the means to have it done. He was on board.

“I’ve always enjoyed helping people,” Wright said. “That’s why I got into dentistry in the first place, because you’d be surprised how much a person can change just because their teeth look and feel better.

“Their whole personality changes because they’re more confident and sure of themselves, and I enjoy being able to play a part in that. So when I heard from Ms. Blue about what she was planning to do here, I was ready to jump in and help out.”

Proud to be from Jackson

While he might’ve grown up a couple of counties away in Brighton, Wright said he’s never second-guessed his decision to live in Jackson.

“I love it here, and I love the people,” Wright said. “And the people embraced my wife and me, too.”

He’s been honored in recent years for his work in the city including being named Man of the Year by the Exchange Club for 2018; being honored with Melvin Wright Day by former Mayor Jerry Gist after a stay in the hospital; and being the subject of “This is Your Life” by the Rotary Club, something that’s happened very few times in the club’s history for those who’ve given decades of service to the club.

“All of those honors have been great, and I appreciate the sentiment from everyone involved in them,” Wright said. “They were all surprises, too, and that took some work by a lot of my friends and staff.

“But Jackson is a great place that has a ton of potential that I think we’re starting to see it realize as a city. I’ve seen it grow a lot since I moved here, and I hope it continues to grow into what it can be.”

Reach Brandon Shields at bjshields@jacksonsun.com or at 731-425-9751. Follow him on Twitter @JSEditorBrandon or on Instagram at editorbrandon.