Dr. Pruette has completed advanced training through a two-year Hospital Dentistry Fellowship at Wilford Hall Medical Center and the Triangle Area Dental Institute Implant Continuum. He is also an Assistant Professor at the Georgia Dental College at Augusta University. He is a Member of Academy of General Dentistry and a Member of Academy of General Dentistry Self Instruction Committee
Dr. Pruette and his wife, Windy, have been married for over 40 years. They have two children, Autumn, who is a pediatrician in Houston, and Todd, who is an attorney in Anderson. Dr. Pruette is retired from the Air Force. His hobbies include tennis, golf, trivia competitions, and beekeeping.
My treatment philosophy is guided by the idea that dentistry is a way to unite science and art; by creating a beautifully crafted smile, I am able to help my patients gain confidence and improve their overall health. My love for dentistry and providing the best care for my patients will never fade for it has become an integral part of who I am.
Dr. Aparna Ashok earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree with honors from Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine. She has also received her Masters Degree in Endodontics and Conservative Dentistry graduating top of her class with the gold medal from NITTE University in India. Her philosophy is to treat every patient like they are a part of her family. She is dedicated to giving each patient the highest quality of care in a comfortable and caring environment. She is an active researcher with eight published journal articles and several other conference papers.
My passion for dentistry began in my childhood because of the inspiration from my father, a dedicated dental surgeon and Professor of Periodontology in India. I loved working with my father in his dental clinic during high school. He used to take me to the clinic on the weekends, where I greeted patients and helped by filing the medical records. I was inspired by the way he helped create beautiful smiles on patients experiencing dental concerns.
This inspiration led me to pursue my undergraduate studies in dental surgery. During my ten years as a dental student, I clearly see how my academic coursework has supported and inspired many of my extra-curricular activities and research endeavors. My interest in endodontics grew during the final year of the undergraduate program in dental surgery. I went on to pursue graduate studies in conservative dentistry and endodontics. I have performed 400+ endodontic procedures, inlays, post-core cases, crowns, and endodontic surgery, and performed cosmetic dentistry during my training, graduating with the highest distinction from the university. My graduate thesis explored the microflora of root carious lesions in people of different age groups and the findings were published in the European Journal of General Dentistry. Presenting my research at conferences and publishing it in refereed journals cemented research as a primary goal for my future in dentistry.
I also served as a research assistant for my advisor, Dr. Hegde. I worked in an interdisciplinary research team to evaluate the total antioxidant capacity of saliva and serum in dental caries patients. The research published in the Indian Journal of Dental Researchreceived the Best Publication Award from the Indian Society of Dental Research. This was challenging at times because our research team was very diverse, comprised of students and faculty with backgrounds in dentistry and microbiology. Nevertheless, it has been exceptionally beneficial because I have learned more about how to effectively communicate with people from different disciplines, organize and lead meetings, and teach others how to gather and analyze data. I was inspired by this work to actively seek ways to enrich my academic experience through tutoring, research, and membership in professional societies. I also had an opportunity to work with the researchers at Clemson University in the United States on the use of Telemedicine Systems for the care process. This was a rewarding experience; I was able to understand the ways in which health information technology systems were built. I contributed to the design and development of the system as a subject matter expert.