Meet Rishi A. Patel, DDS

Meet Rishi A. Patel, DDS in Newbury Park

A Biological Approach to Whole-Body Dental Care

Hi, I’m Dr. Rishi Patel, and I’ve wanted to be a dentist for as long as I can remember. I’ve always been drawn to helping people — and I love being able to use my own hands to do it. Dentistry felt like the perfect way to make a difference in people’s lives.

But early in my career, something felt off. I realized I was acting more like a mechanic for the mouth, simply fixing teeth without truly considering how those teeth — and the choices we make in dentistry — impact the entire body. That realization pushed me to dig deeper, and what I learned completely changed the way I practice.

The mouth is directly connected to whole-body health. The materials we place in your mouth matter. The way we do restorative work matters. The way we approach hygiene matters. And leaving things like infected root canal teeth or cavitations untreated can have serious consequences for your overall health.

That’s what led me to biological dentistry. My focus is no longer just on “fixing” teeth — it’s on supporting your whole-body wellness. I do that by searching for the root cause of problems before treating them, choosing the safest materials possible, removing sources of chronic infection, and respecting the body’s natural ability to heal.

I earned my Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Howard University College of Dentistry and completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry at East Carolina University. Over the years, I’ve practiced in Houston, Austin, Thousand Oaks, and Santa Barbara, gaining experience in both traditional and biologically based dentistry. I’ve also been fortunate to train under some of the leaders in this field, including Dr. Katie To and Dr. Dominik Nischwitz, and I follow the philosophies of Dr. Hal Huggins and Dr. Weston A. Price, whose pioneering work continues to inspire me.

I’m also honored to continue the incredible legacy that Dr. David Villarreal built here at BioDental Healing. His commitment to biological dentistry laid the foundation for the kind of care I believe in, and I am excited to continue serving this community at the highest standard.

At BioDental Healing, I’m here to help you feel better, heal better, and live healthier — because dentistry isn’t just about teeth; it’s about your whole-body wellness. I look forward to meeting you, learning your story, and being a partner in your journey to health.