How one dentist is tackling COVID, the environment, and Black Lives Matter
Nammy Patel, DDS, does not shy away from current events. Like her peers, she has had to tackle the COVID-19 shutdown head-on. But unlike some of her peers, she has also let her patients know that she supports the Black Lives Matter movement.
Why the vocal activism? Dr. Patel moved to the United States from India at the age of five, and she knows what it can feel like to be marginalized.
“It's important for patients to see people of color in dental offices,” she said. “People need to see diversity, especially in places like San Francisco.”
Like many other dental professionals, Dr. Patel spent some time during the shutdown figuring out how she would return to practice. Activism has always been a part of her professional image. When Black Lives Matter took off, she continued and built on what she’s always done.
“The practice is doing lots,” she said. “We have newsletters that go out about what's going on in our community, and we share how we are lifting up our community. With every new patient who comes in, we make a donation to Black Lives Matter. Beginning in November, we will offer voter registration for patients when they walk in the door. I feel like we have to do things. It doesn't help for us to be on the sidelines and complain.”
How have patients reacted? “Our patients love what we do,” she said. “How can they not love it? We’re fighting racism, educating, and focusing on empowerment.”
“Our efforts build relationships,” she continued. “When you have something built on shared values it builds a relationship. People are isolated now, and it's so important for them to feel free to talk about the things that matter.”
Have her patients returned to the practice post-shutdown? “It's been very difficult, not just reopening, but encouraging patients to come back and take care of their oral health,” Dr. Patel said. “Oral health, particularly gum health, is tied into our immune systems and it's so important to have regular cleanings. People usually don't want to go to the dentist anyway, and COVID-19 makes it even harder to get them to come in.”
Because of the relationships Dr. Patel and the staff at Green Dentistry have built with their patients, they are happy to now report that they have been seeing the return of their patients during the past few months. In turn, patients have had positive things to say about their dentist’s activism, and appreciate that she focuses on them as people getting by in a chaotic world. Dr. Patel has always taken a holistic approach in her practice.
The staff has also settled back in. “The staff loves the changes. We redid the entire office to make it as safe as possible, and they do feel safe. We have very little turnover and our staff is proud of where they work.”
That pride began before COVID came on the scene. Dr. Patel acknowledges the importance of diversity, and says her office is actually a bit more unique in that it’s an all-female office. “We have an all-woman practice, which is not so usual in San Francisco, and our patients respond well to seeing women supporting other women.”
The name of her practice is also significant. Green Dentistry was the first dental practice of its kind in San Francisco. One thing they do is plant a tree in honor of new patients. “We call it ‘green dentistry with a green thumb,’” she said.
The practice website states, “Not only are the techniques and materials used in the office safe, but the building materials and furnishings were also chosen with care. The LEED-certified office (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is composed of recycled contents and the furniture is free of harmful chemicals. It has energy-efficient lighting systems, uses glass rather than disposable cups, and is paperless.”
Dr. Patel is also growing a non-profit to bring greener dentistry to India. She is the author of a book on dental care from a holistic point of view titled, Age With Style.