Why She Was Nominated

Armed with her dental degree and a fascination with new products, Dr. Kakade recently returned to Carrollton (her hometown) and is infusing it with fresh energy, renovating a historic building for her fully digital practice.

Inspiration

When Dr. Kakade was a teenager in Carrollton, her school designated a day for students to shadow professionals. She wanted to follow a doctor, but the only medical provider on the list was a local dentist. After watching Dr. Donna Moses interact with patients, a young Kakade knew she had found her calling. “She was genuine and sincere,” Dr. Kakade says. “You could tell she knew what was happening in their lives, and she gave them hugs when she saw them.”

What Sets Her Apart

“Being recently out of school works in my favor,” says Dr. Kakade, our list’s youngest member, who graduated from dental school in 2009 and uses intraoral cameras to show patients which treatments they need and why. “We try to go the extra mile to educate them and show them what’s going on.”

Tool She Can't Live Without

Intraoral cameras.