Meet the dentist
A Durham native who fell in love with families' smiles.
Dr. Alana Whitford, DDS
Dr. Alana Whitford grew up in Durham and graduated from UNC Chapel Hill's School of Dentistry in 2012. After several years in a busy group practice in Raleigh, she opened Brightleaf to build the kind of office she always wanted as a patient: calm, honest, and on time.
She completed advanced training in dental implants and cosmetic restorations at the Dawson Academy, earned her Invisalign Preferred Provider certification, and serves as a guest instructor at UNC once a month. Her favorite part of the job is still the very first one: hearing what brought a new patient in and figuring out how to help.
Outside the office, she and her husband chase two energetic kids, a rescue beagle named Marlowe, and a steady rotation of Carolina hiking trails.
DDS, UNC Chapel Hill
AACD member
13+ years caring for families
Our philosophy
"Great dentistry is the smallest amount of the right treatment at exactly the right time, explained in plain English."
Credentials and training
Built for the families of Durham.
DDS
UNC Adams School of Dentistry, 2012
Advanced Implant Training
Dawson Academy, 2015
Clear Aligner Certification
Invisalign Preferred Provider
Cosmetic Dentistry
AACD member and continuing education
Affiliations
American Dental Association, NCDS
Community
UNC Dental School guest instructor
How we practice
Four commitments we make to every patient.
Show the cost before you start
Every treatment plan comes with a written estimate. You will never see a surprise charge on your statement.
Recommend only what you need
We do not run upsell scripts. If watchful waiting is the honest answer, that is what you will hear.
Respect your time
We schedule enough time for every appointment so you are never rushed out the door or kept waiting past your slot.
Care for the whole family, together
The same team that sees your seven-year-old will see you and your parents. Continuity matters over years and decades.
Our story
From dental school to downtown Durham.
2004
Dr. Whitford begins pre-dental studies at NC State, inspired by a family dentist who made her stop dreading the chair.
2008
Enrolls at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry.
2012
Graduates with her DDS and joins a busy multi-doctor group practice in Raleigh.
2015
Completes advanced implant training at the Dawson Academy in St. Petersburg, FL.
2018
Opens Brightleaf Family Dental in downtown Durham, designed from the ground up around patient comfort.
2021
Adds CEREC same-day crown technology and digital impression scanning to the practice.
2026
Now caring for more than 2,400 active patients from across the Triangle.
Best Dentist in Durham
Voted best family dental practice by Durham Magazine readers in 2023 and 2024.
Free community screenings
Dr. Whitford hosts free oral health screenings at the Durham Farmers Market on the first Saturday of every month.
UNC guest instructor
Giving back to the next generation of dentists as a visiting clinical instructor at UNC School of Dentistry once a month.