Why She Was Nominated:

Dr. Patel runs a high-energy, high-tech ortho practice near Jacksonville. It has a coffee bar, as well as a gaming room with an Xbox and PlayStation, plus iPads to distract and entertain kids during treatment.

Inspiration:

Her mother, a general dentist for more than 40 years. “I remember so many times our mom would go in on weekends to care for a patient in pain, and I would assist her when I was old enough. Her bedside manner, her ethics and the quality of her work were inspirational.” Both Dr. Patel and her sister followed their mother into dentistry.

Tool She Can’t Live Without:

“My tweed. I use it to put detailing bends in the wire near the end of treatment; I enjoy fine-tuning and perfecting the smile.”

Exciting New Trend:

“Teledentistry and virtual consults and check-ins,” says Dr. Patel, who, like many dental professionals, could see patients only remotely during the first few months of the pandemic. “We did new-patient exams, and checked current braces patients and clear-aligner patients [so they] could continue their treatment without delays.”

Something People Don’t Know:

Despite the beach-and-surf theme of her practice, Dr. Patel can’t swim. “But I can doggy-paddle with the best of them!”