Jackson Free Press

Best Doctor; Best General Practitioner: Timothy Quinn

Quinn Healthcare (768 N. Avery Blvd., Ridgeland, 601-487-6482, quinntotalhealth.com)

As the medical director of Quinn Healthcare, Timothy Quinn is a firm advocate for removing the fear of visiting the doctor and maintaining good health and wellness.

Practicing medicine in Jackson since 2003, Quinn feels an important responsibility to his community as an African American physician. "Disproportionately we, in my community, suffer at a greater extent from medical conditions that are terminal in presentation, such as cancer, that were not diagnosed early," Quinn says. "I feel like my responsibility in my community is to try to encourage others to go out and get pre-screenings and not be afraid to go to the doctor

Quinn, who was born in Chicago and grew up in McComb, attended Jackson State University and Belhaven University. He received his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville. When he began his practice, Quinn focused on physical fitness and has continued to lecture and write about the importance of being fit and preventing obesity.

In the past 10 years, he has published work in the Jackson Free Press and other publications, and he has worked as medical expert for WLBT, WAPT and WJTV. In 2009, Quinn was featured on the BET news exclusive, "Heart of the City: Dying to Eat in Jackson."—Mark Braboy

Best Doctor

Second Place: Justin Turner / Third Place: Scott Kelly / Finalist: Alan Rathburn

Best General Practitioner

Second Place: Scott Kelly / Third Place: Justin Turner

Best Cosmetic Dentist: Jim Ed Watson

Jackson Center for Smiles (1437 Old Square Road, Suite 203 Crescent Court, 601-366-7645, jxnsmiles.com)

Through his practice at Jackson Center for Smiles, Jim Ed Watson strives to provide his patients with the type of care and education that exceeds standards and expectations. A Yazoo City native and graduate of the University of Mississippi and the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry, he is certified in several subareas including periodontal therapy, endodontics, implant dentistry, prosthodontics and others.

Watson himself has a bright and inviting smile, and a gallery of his work shows that he is more than capable of getting similarly radiant results for his clientele, whether they require straightening, whitening and otherwise renewing teeth from a variety of conditions.—Justin Gudger

Second Place: Kalil Abide / Third Place: Paula Stewart

Best Orthodontist: Priscilla Jolly

Jolly Orthodontics (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 7201, Ridgeland, 601-879-4746, jollyortho.com

Since December 2010, Jolly Orthodontics has been helping smiles all over the metro area. Dr. Priscilla Jolly attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School and Millsaps College. Jolly later went to Louisiana State University School of Dentistry to study orthodontics.

She returned to Mississippi to open Jolly Orthodontics with her husband of 15 years, Jason, who serves as business manager for their office in Ridgeland.

What makes Jolly special in the world of dentistry? "We treat everybody like family," Jason says. "Because of that, we provide what we believe to be the best customer service in the Jackson area."—Tommy Burton

Second Place: Karl Bierdman / Third Place (tie): Eugene Brown; Ken Walley

Best Dentist: Paula Stewart

Paula Stewart DMD & Assoc. (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 235, 601-987-8722, paulastewartdmd.com)

Dentistry runs in Paula Stewart's family. "I was the first one to get into dentistry, being in dental hygiene back in 1981, and then my brother went out to be a dentist," she says. "I married a dentist (Thad Strange), and now we have two kids (Stewart and Matthew) that are dentists."

Stewart, a Raymond native, graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry in 1995 and is involved in many dental organizations such as the Mississippi Dental Hygiene Association, Mississippi Association of Women Dentists and American Dental Hygiene Association House of Delegates.

With 19 years of experience under her belt, Stewart, along with her staff at Paula Stewart DMD & Associates, offers top quality services to her patients. She is willing to create one-on-one treatment plans catered to an individual's dental health.

"I want to be a caregiver first of all," Stewart says. "I enjoy taking care of people, and I enjoy working with people."

Follow Paula Stewart on Twitter @DoctorP2003, and find Paula Stewart, DMD & Assoc. on Facebook.—Mark Braboy

Second Place: Jim Ed Watson / Third Place: Kalil Abide / Finalist: Rusty Riley

Best Nurse Practitioner: Geraldine Young

Quinn Healthcare (768 N. Avery Blvd., Ridgeland, 601-487-6482, quinntotalhealth.com)

Geraldine Young's passion in life is people. She currently works as a nurse practitioner at Quinn Healthcare and is an assistant professor, lecturing on subjects such as theory of advanced nursing practice, at Alcorn State University.

"My life goal is to educate others, and care for and cure others," Young says. When she talks about her work, you can hear the passion in her voice.

Young has a nursing doctorate from University of Alabama at Birmingham. The Greenville native is a certified diabetes educator and is certified for Lower Extremity Amputation Prevention, a program designed to prevent the need for foot amputations.

At Central Mississippi Health Services in 2010, Young established Mississippi's first accredited diabetes education program in a federally qualified health center. In 2012, she conducted Greenville Health Initiative, which she says had more than 300 participants and 30 vendors and health professionals. She's a member of many organizations, including the American Association of Diabetes Educators, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and an inductee and member of the Golden Key International Honor Society and Sigma Theta Tau nursing honor society.—Amber Helsel

Second Place: Louis Greg Ross / Third Place: Kenyatta Moore

Best Surgeon: Reginald Martin

Martin Surgical Associates (971 Lakeland Drive, Suite 211, 601-200-4350)

The thought of surgery can sometimes be a scary one, so it is always comforting to know you're in the hands of a good surgeon.

Reginald Martin, a surgeon with Martin Surgical Associates at St. Dominic's Hospital, has 22 years of experience. He attended medical school at Meharry Medical College and served his internship and residency at University of Louisville. He has been practicing in Jackson since 1996 and is a general surgeon, performing a myriad of procedures.

A patient review on Wellness.com says, "Dr. Martin is an excellent surgeon! He truly has a heart for his patients, and he has a great bedside manner. He made sure that I was always attended to and had everything I needed." —Tommy Burton

Second Place: Greg Fiser