Why He Was Nominated:

Dr. Fialkoff has run Paradise Valley Dental since 2016. His practice serves multigenerational families and patients who have been coming to the practice for decades. He has boosted revenue growth by 50 percent a year using only word-of-mouth referrals. He expertly blends classic techniques (TMJ analysis, gold restorative preparations and perio-prosth design) with more modern technological tools (CBCT, intraoral scanning, occlusal analysis) in a whole-body approach. He has helped patients get diagnosed and treated for a variety of serious medical conditions.

Why He Became a Dentist:

A lifelong bibliophile, he grew up reading the work of physician-authors—Atul Gawande, Siddhartha Mukherjee, Oliver Sacks, Jerome Groopman, Lewis Thomas—and realized the beauty of clinical care lies in developing meaningful long-term patient relationships.

Philosophy:

“As surgeons, we have this duality: On one hand, we need to be humble, to understand our limitations and to strive to become better at our craft. On the other, we must also have the confidence and arrogance to take a blade to human flesh.”

Something People Don’t Know:

“I’ve been bouldering for a few years, and I love it. It’s an amazing workout because each route is mentally and physically challenging.”