A Lomita dentistry practice now located nearby in Torrance stretches back into the early 1920's, and is still continuing with Dr. Adriana Barrera, the current D.D.S. practitioner.
Dr. H. L. Hess first opened an office on Weston Street (now on Lomita Blvd.) at Narbonne Avenue in the rural township's in early 1920's in the J.W. Barnes Department Store building on the SE corner of Narbonne Avenue (24608 Narbonne Avenue). He eventually sold his practice to Dr. Trevor W. Bullock who after a few years moved easterly to a newly constructed building next door at
2172 West Lomita Blvd.
Records do not indicate how long he stayed at that location before retiring or moving away but he sold his practice at the 2172 West Lomita Blvd. office to
Dr. Eldon Scott. Dr. Scott after an undetermined period in turn sold to Dr. Milton F. Flagg in the early 1950's. Joining Dr. Flagg in the practice as an associate dentist in September 1964 was Dr. George Samaha.
Dr. Flagg subsequently sold the practice to Dr. Samaha who after years of successful practice at that site built a modern medical building in Lomita on the NW corner of Narbonne Avenue and West 250th Street.
Dr. Samaha eventually moved the practice to the current location at
23451 Madison Street, Suite 350 in Torrance where he continued his practice until his retirement in 2014. At that time, Dr. Barrera assumed the practice at the current site.
Several of Dr. Barrera's current patients have remained continuing clients of the practice since the early 1950's.
It has been estimated that the collective years of medical service the six dentist have provided their patients exceeds 98 years as of 2020.
Source: Jim Cole, Secretary
Lomita Historical Society
