Liana Tremmel, DDS, dentist and owner of Palatine, Ill.-based Regency Dental Care, found herself on the losing end of the $349 billion aid package.
Some large chains were awarded multimillion-dollar loans from the program, depleting the funds before many smaller businesses were approved for aid. National burger chain Shake Shack received $10 million in forgivable loans, but announced April 20 that it will return the money after public backlash. Operators of Ruth’s Chris Steak House received $20 million in loans from JPMorgan Chase, and Chicago-based sandwich chain Potbelly also received a $10 million loan from the same bank.
“Of course it’s not fair, because a big company like that can get other fundings, right?” Dr. Tremmel said. “And $10 million for people like us, it can serve a lot of other small businesses.”
When CBS Chicago asked Dr. Tremmel if her office would be able to stay afloat, she said she didn’t know.
“This is all that I do,” Dr. Tremmel said. “I live and breathe dentistry.”
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