The people have spoken, and First Choice Dental has come out on top once again. The Madison-based practice has recently been named the Favorite Dental Practice and Favorite Orthodontist in the 2026 Madison.com People’s Choice Awards. And as if that’s not enough reason to celebrate, First Choice Dental’s own Dr. Charmi Patel was also voted Favorite Dentist.
“We heard the great news in early August and shared it with Dr. Patel shortly thereafter,” said Maddie Inman, marketing manager for First Choice Dental. “Everyone was overjoyed! Receiving this recognition means a lot to us, especially since it’s coming from the community we serve.”
Dr. Charmi Patel
The annual Madison.com People’s Choice Awards opened for nominations in May, with readers then casting their votes for the top five finalists in 153 different categories between July 1 and July 26. After the results are tallied, all the winners are announced in a guide published online at Madison.com and sent out to Wisconsin State Journal subscribers on Sunday, Sept. 13.
This isn’t the first time First Choice Dental has been recognized for the People’s Choice Awards. The practice has received Favorite Dental Practice accolades for the past three years running. Dr. Patel is a first-time winner.
“I feel incredibly honored and grateful to receive this award,” said Dr. Patel. “Dentistry is such a personal profession and knowing that our patients and members of our community took the time to nominate and vote for me makes this recognition particularly meaningful. It’s a wonderful reminder of why I love what I do, and why building genuine relationships with my patients is so important to me.”
Dr. Patel is quick to share credit for the honor with the rest of the First Choice Dental team.
“An award like this would not be possible without the people I work alongside every day,” she said. “I’m also incredibly grateful to my patients for allowing us to be part of their health and wellness journeys. This recognition is truly a team effort, and I’m very thankful for everyone who made it possible.”
Serving patients from 15 locations in Madison and across Dane County, First Choice Dental likes to position itself as being big enough to trust, but small enough to care.
“It goes to show that putting core values like compassion, excellence and integrity in place can shine through with this sort of recognition from the community,” Inman said. “Our patients get to see these principles in action every time they visit one of our clinics.”
No resting on laurels here — receiving the People’s Choice award for Best Dental Practice only motivates First Choice Dental to continue learning and improving to keep providing the highest level of service possible.
“This is both an honor and a reminder of the responsibility we have to our patients,” Inman said. “Our goal has always been to make every patient feel heard, respected and comfortable while providing excellent dental care. The award reinforces how important that commitment really is.”
To schedule an appointment or to learn more about First Choice Dental, go to firstchoicedental.com.
