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Case Study

"My favorite thing about my work is making people believers in the dental experience again. Patients tell me their visit wasn’t what they were expecting at all."

Dr. Akash Patel

Dr. Akash Patel

Dr. Akash Patel was something of a late bloomer when it came to finding his calling. “I actually didn’t consider dentistry until my third year of college. My parents had been advocating for me to become a medical doctor since I was 12, but when it came time to fill out college applications I decided to stick with the biological sciences and figure it out from there. A family friend suggested that I shadow a dentist and see whether that would be a fit. After one week, I knew it was what I wanted to do!”

Dr. Patel’s path intersected with Smile Brands in an unexpected way. Looking to be closer to family, “I returned to my hometown and found a part-time position at the local health department. A few months later, I found another part-time position where the owner of a practice was looking for another associate. After three months, the practice transitioned to Midwest Dental which is part of Smile Brands. So basically, I kind of fell into it!” Dr. Patel found it was a match made in heaven. “I like that they give their doctors autonomy. I’m never pushed to deliver treatment a certain way. I’m free to make my own decisions.”

Having worked in so many different clinical settings, Dr. Patel has some hard-won advice for new dentists. “Everybody grows at a different pace. Don’t get caught up in comparing yourself to your colleagues. Focus on yourself, and focus on what you want from this profession. Be kind, be gentle, and do what is best for the patient.” It’s exactly this kind of care and dedication that leads to the joyful patient (and dentist!) experiences Smile Brands is known for.

Smile Brands is now hiring talented and passionate dentists. Explore our current opportunities.

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