Mid-surgery during residency, I thought, “There must be a more natural, conservative way to do this!” Curious about natural medicine, I started searching for ways to integrate my passion of health and helping people with a more natural form of dentistry. I started questioning the conventional teachings of dentistry which led me down the rabbit hole of a more modern type of dentistry. Some call it holistic or biological dentistry.

I was exposed to integrative medicine from a young age and preventive health was the focus of our lifestyle. This experience made me realize that if I can add some of these ancient practices to western medicine, it may fill in some of the gaps we have in our education and help our journey in health and wellness. As a holistic dentist my goal is to provide patient centric treatment; assessing oral health, nutrition, sleep and other functional habits, thereby providing your body with everything it needs to function at its optimal level.

I became interested in nutrition when I saw the changes it made on my own body and took nutrition courses in college. As I practiced dentistry and took more courses, I especially fell in love with learning about airway, TMJ, sleep dentistry, implants and orthodontics for kids and adults. I also began working with more anxious patients, because I suffered with dental anxiety as a child and I love helping people get over their fear. What fulfills me most is knowing I have the power to help people with more than obtaining their perfect smile.

At fifteen years old, I started seeing the dramatic effect braces could have on a smile while working in my father’s orthodontic practice. When I became an orthodontist and a mother, my son’s breathing and oral health changed my practice from conventional to holistic. I now view crooked teeth as a symptom of an underlying cause. Orthodontics is rooted in growth and development and the treatment should be as well. When the original cause of misalignment is addressed, we optimize the child’s airway and breathing, which are crucial for wellness.

Dr. Pratiti Gandhi is an Alabama native who is a first generation Dentist. Her patients know her as “Dr. P.” She began her undergraduate career at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. From there, she attended Midwestern University- Downer’s Grove to obtain her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree.