Dr. Patel says she’s drawn to the variety of dentistry—and that shows in her expertise, which ranges from dental sleep medicine to treating patients with orofacial pain, oral lesions and complex medical conditions.

Service, leadership, independence and an obsession with straight teeth. “My family inspired me to enter a profession that enabled me to improve a person’s quality of life and serve others while at the same time being creative, artistic and innovative.”

“Overcoming my perception of failure. Being successful is easy, but when faced with difficult patients, difficult cases, challenging encounters with students and a deadline on a grant, I felt burned out as a new dentist. Over time, I learned to let go of the stress and focus on the opportunity to learn from these challenges.”

“My treadmill. Regular exercise helps me stay focused and balanced.”

“I could eat Taco Bell every day. It’s the best comfort food.”