Meet our Durham Dentist and Durham Dentistry team. We are here for all of our dental health needs. Contact us today to learn more.
Desiree T. Palmer, D.M.D.
Dr. Desiree T. Palmer is the owner of Desiree T. Palmer, DMD, PA and Associates and Bull City Dental that opened on historic Parrish Street, downtown Durham, in August of 2015. Dr. Desiree T. Palmer and her team of professionals are dedicated to maintaining a reputation of excellence in dental care. She has over 30 years of experience in the dental field and strives to provide patients with the best dental care available. She graduated with a degree in biochemistry from Mount Holyoke College and received her professional education from Tufts School of Dental Medicine. She also holds professional memberships with the American Dental Association, National Dental Association, the American Association of Women’s Dentists, the Spear Education Study Club, the Academy of General Dentistry, Old North State Dental and local study clubs.
In her spare time, Dr. Palmer lectures and volunteers with several local organizations in the Durham community. She especially enjoys mentoring young people who plan to enter the dental profession. She belongs to several community service organizations including, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Links, Inc. and is active in her church, Holy Cross. Dr. Palmer is married to Michael J. Palmer, and they have three sons: Austen, Brandon and Colton. Dr. Palmer is the proud grandmother of Brianna Lillie Palmer and Solyn Aya Palmer.
Audrey Kemp, DDS, MPH
Dr. Audrey Kemp is a native of Florida. She received her undergraduate education at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, FL. While in college, Dr. Kemp uncovered her desire to be a dentist and her academic career led her to Meharry Medical College where she received a Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree. One of her most memorable experiences while in dental school was a mission trip to Haiti. Dr. Kemp was overwhelmed by the extraordinary appreciation of the citizens of Haiti for her and her talents. After graduating from dental school, Dr. Kemp moved to Colorado to provide dental care on the Navajo Indian Reservation. She enjoyed the humbling work and cultural experience and found it to be a rewarding experience. Dr. Kemp relocated to North Carolina to further her education. She received a Master’s degree in Public Health from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has called the Triangle area home for more than 8 years, working in private practice and community health throughout.
She loves the dental profession, the challenges it presents, and the ability to provide a positive dental experience for each person. Dr. Kemp values the opportunity to be a part of the lives of her patients and their families. She is a member of the American Dental Association and North Carolina Dental Society. Dr. Kemp enjoys giving back to the community and does on a regular basis as a member of The Links, Inc. She enjoys music of all genres and tries to go to concerts often. When Dr. Kemp and her husband, Marcus, are not cheering for the Tar Heels, they are traveling and spending time with friends and family. They live in Durham with their children, Carrington and Christopher, and their dog, Bentley.
Tonia Lewis Bennett – Practice Administrator
Tonia has been in the dental field since 1991 and joined our practice in 1997. Tonia takes pride in continuing education in practice management and dental technology to ensure that our practice is exceptional. She works closely with the doctors, staff and patients to make certain that all systems and business aspects of the practice are functioning proficiently. Tonia in her spare time, enjoys reading, traveling and sports.
Bianca Morris-Registered Dental Hygienist
Bianca grew up in Fredericksburg, Virginia and currently resides in Durham. She received her Bachelor’s of Science degree and a minor in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia in 2014. Later, she moved to North Carolina where she attended The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received her Bachelor’s of Science in Dental Hygiene in 2016. While attending UNC-Chapel Hill, Bianca served as the dental hygiene representative for the Student Chapter of the American Association of Public Health, and received the UNC Dental Ecology Community Service Achievement Award. Her heart for helping educate the community translates to her passion, as a dental hygienist, to educate patients on maintaining their oral health once in her chair.
Bianca believes that her move to North Carolina was one of her best decisions. During her spare time, she enjoys the exploration of her new
home. Trying new restaurants, places, and activities in the Bull City. She also enjoys drawing, reading a good book, and spending time with friends and family.
Yanira Guevara – Dental Assistant
Yanira is a Dental Assistant at Bull City Dental. She is a graduate from UNC Dental Assisting Program and has been working as a Dental Assistant since 2003. Yanira and her husband have three wonderful children. She is fluent in Spanish and enjoys being a soccer mom, taking beach trips and spending time with her family and friends.
Patima Torres – Dental Assistant
Patima has been a Dental assistant at Bull City Dental since 2021. She was born and raised in Durham. Patima is currently an undergraduate and is continuing her education to hopefully pursue a career as a Dentist. Patima speaks Spanish and enjoys reading, hiking with her dog, or spending time with her friends and family.
Liza Parker- Office Manager
Liza is a native of Durham, NC. She was introduced to Dr. Palmer’s office as a student intern in high school. After receiving her Associate of Arts Degree from Durham Technical Community College, she then transferred to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Health Education.
Upon the completion of her studies, Liza officially joined the practice in 2010 as the Insurance/Financial Coordinator. She blossomed in this role while gaining a lot of experience in this role. She takes pride in building relationships with patients while making them feel comfortable and reassured about their dental investment. As of 2022, Liza accepted a new role as Office Manager of our downtown location, Bull City Dental.
Liza is married to Leon D. Parker, Sr. and they have two children: Lydia and Leon D. Parker, II and a cat named Moses. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and volunteering with her local church.
Mission Statement
Our purpose is to provide comprehensive dental care, above and beyond expectations in a warm and caring environment, while bringing our patients to optimal oral health. We are committed to continuing education, state of the art technology, and exceptional service. We strive to serve the greater Durham community while building long lasting relationships with our patients.
Core Values
As employees of the Practice, we commit that our professional conduct will be governed by values. Our daily work efforts will reflect our commitment to these values and we encourage constructive feedback from our patients regarding how well we adhere to our work beliefs.
Dependable
We believe that dentistry is a noble profession. It provides each of us with a daily, unique opportunity to improve the lives of our patients. Our commitment to this purpose and duty is essential to our success. Individually and collectively, we will demonstrate good stewardship of all the resources entrusted to us, take responsibility for our actions, and continuously pledge to meet the performance expectations we have for each other and for our patients. We believe it is important to be loyal, reliable, responsive, and supportive.
Accountability
We believe that our patients deserve superior yet cost effective products and services.We believe that each of us is personally accountable for meeting agreed on work requirements and performing our jobs well, and we take responsibility for our actions and our work.
Teamwork
We believe Teamwork is integral to our success, working towards one goal and contributing where needed. We each have our own talents and abilities which together allow for us to provide excellent service to our patients. We are committed to embracing our diversity, being open to new ideas, and showing understanding, mutual respect and trust with each other and the patients we serve.
Respect
We show by our actions the high regard we have for self and for others. We maintain self-control and treat people the way we want to be treated. We strive to show consideration and appreciation for our patients and each other and use polite expressions when responding to concerns or differences.
Integrity
We adhere to the highest standard of dental care for our patients. We are committed to making continuous improvements to our processes and services while fostering a working environment that supports team members’ efforts to respond to patient’s needs using their creativity and best problem-solving skills.We adhere to our values and believe in honoring our commitments. We act honestly and ethically and we treat everyone with dignity, tolerance, and understanding.
Tameka Ward – Office Manager
Tameka grew up in Northern Virginia and now lives in Durham. She has twelve years of Dental Administrative and Management experience and twenty years of customer service experience. Tameka is very active in her congregation and enjoys helping those in need. In her down time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Dayna McNaught – Registered Dental Hygienist
Dayna is a Registered Dental Hygienist with over 20 years professional experience. Originally from Connecticut, she received an Associate of Science degree from Three Rivers Community Technical College in 1995. She went on to receive an Associate’s Degree in Dental Hygiene from the New Hampshire Technical Institute in 1997.
Dayna moved to North Carolina in 2000 and has had the opportunity to build a successful career with a variety of experience. She worked for many years at UNC Adams School of Dentistry as both a Clinical Research Coordinator and a Patient Care Coordinator. These positions enabled her to work in various capacities with faculty, staff as well as predoctoral and graduate dental students. Dayna returned to private practice because of her love of clinical dental hygiene and chair-side patient interaction.
She is as passionate about dentistry as she is about helping people. Her goal is to share her knowledge of dental hygiene while making patients as comfortable as possible.
Dayna is married to her high school sweetheart. They live in Chapel Hill and are proud parents to their three children and two dogs. When not in the office, she enjoys spending her time with her family.
Brittanie J. Harris, DDS
Dr. Brittanie Harris is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Hygiene at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009. Maintaining her dream of becoming a dentist, she created lasting mentorships while working as a dental hygienist for five years. She returned to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to receive her Doctorate of Dental Surgery in 2018. After graduating from dental school, Dr. Harris has practiced throughout the Triangle area and has finally made Durham her home. She is excited to be a part of our team in providing excellent oral care to our community.
Dr. Harris holds a passion for dentistry and the positive impact it has on every patient. She believes that first impressions start with a smile and is eager to create a lasting first impression for all she meets. Dr. Harris loves volunteering in the community and advocating for healthy oral and systemic care. She holds professional memberships with Academy of General Dentistry, North Carolina Dental Society, American Dental Association, and National Dental Society.
Dr. Harris loves spending time with her family, traveling, sewing, dancing, and cheering on her daughter, Maniya DeVaé, in her many events and competitions. Together, they enjoy cheering for the Tarheels and spending time with their dog, Marley.