Our Family History of 100 Years in Harlem
I joined my father's dental practice in 1987, right here in Harlem, after completing my dental education at Howard University and a hospital-based residency just across the street from our old office. What I stepped into wasn't just a clinic-it was a legacy.
Our family has been part of Harlem for over 100 years, both as residents and business owners. That legacy began with my grandfather, who immigrated from Jamaica and started by selling newspapers and candy on the corner before his shift as a custodian at Columbia University. His early hustle turned into something bigger-a candy and soda shop at 117th Street and Manhattan Avenue, run with my grandmother. It became a neighborhood staple and taught all of us the value of hard work, consistency, and community.
That spirit carried forward when my father, Dr. Alberto L. Robertson, opened his first dental office in 1956 above the Regal Shoe Store on 125th Street and Seventh Avenue. Many longtime Harlemites still remember that corner. He ran his practice with integrity and care during a time when Black professionals had few opportunities to open businesses in prime locations. My mother, Lucille Dixon Robertson-a trailblazing bassist, orchestra leader, and music union board member-stood by him every step of the way, bringing her own legacy of cultural excellence to our family story
When we lost the lease on that original space in the mid-1980s, we relocated to Lenox Terrace. That move became the beginning of what is now the Harlem Center for Aesthetic Dentistry. From the start, our goal has been to provide the highest level of implant and aesthetic dental care-right here in the neighborhood where we've always belonged.
Over the years, the practice has evolved into a full-service, specialist-driven dental center with an in-house team that includes a periodontist, oral surgeon, orthodontist, and general dentists. Patients receive comprehensive care under one roof, without needing to travel outside their community.
We've always believed that great dentistry is about more than teeth-it's about restoring confidence, dignity, and wellness. Our family's presence in Harlem began with a candy counter, grew through a dental chair, and now continues into a modern, patient-centered clinic designed to serve this neighborhood for generations to come.
In the 70s, 80s, and 90s-when many were leaving Harlem-we didn't just stay. We stayed and expanded.
"View from our original office on the southeast corner of 125th Street and Seventh Avenue, across from the iconic Chock Full o’Nuts and Hotel Theresa—where legends like Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, and Fidel Castro once gathered."
Image credit: New York Public Library Digital Collections
I remember teaching implant dentistry at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn. One day, a consultant came in to give the residents advice on where to open their practices. He began by saying, "If you want to start an implant practice, don't do it in a place like Harlem."
Before he could even finish the sentence, one of the residents jumped in and said, "But we have a dentist who has an implant practice in Harlem."
That dentist was me
It was one of those quiet moments that stays with you. Because while others wrote Harlem off, we never did.We planted deep roots here-and we continue to grow because of the people and the spirit of this community.
And now, more than 100 years after my grandfather first came to Harlem, we've come full circle. My son recently graduated from Columbia University-just steps away from where his great-grandfather once worked as a custodian. He did it as a student-athlete and a football player, walking those same streets with a very different purpose-but with the same quiet strength and pride that has always defined our family.
I'm proud you're a part of our story here in Harlem-and of our upcoming series. I hope you'll stay connected as we continue to share more stories that reflect the strength, history, and spirit of this community we call home.
Warmly,
Dr. Ernest Robertson
Founder, Harlem Center for Aesthetic Dentistry