Dr. Patel grew up in Mount Airy, North Carolina, affectionately known as Mayberry from "The Andy Griffith Show." After moving to the Triangle during high school, Dr. Patel was thrilled to attend UNC-Chapel Hill as an undergraduate. While enjoying life as a Tar Heel, his passion for dentistry was ignited after a trip to Tennessee to shadow his Aunt, an accomplished dentist in the town of Tazewell. The seamless integration of art and science left a lasting impression on Dr. Patel and ultimately inspired him to pursue the engaging, hands-on profession of dentistry.