Mint Hill Smiles Is Redefining The Dental Experience

For many people, a visit to the dentist begins with anxiety long before they ever sit in the chair. Fear, past experiences, and the expectation of discomfort often keep patients away for years, allowing small dental problems to become much larger ones. When Dr. Shalini Kamodia and Dr. Stephanie Marvelli opened Mint Hill Smiles in late 2019, they believed dentistry could feel very different. Rather than designing a practice around schedules and production, they built one around the patient experience.

It was an ambitious vision, especially considering they opened their doors with no established patient base just months before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare practices across the country. Today, Mint Hill Smiles has grown into one of the Charlotte area's most trusted independent dental practices, earning more than 800 five star Google reviews while serving patients throughout Mint Hill, Matthews, Indian Trail, Stallings, Weddington, Midland, Albemarle, and southeast Charlotte.

Two Friends, One Shared Vision

Dr. Kamodia and Dr. Marvelli first met while studying dentistry at the University of Michigan, where a friendship quickly developed into a shared vision for the future. Both believed patients deserved more than routine dental appointments. They wanted to create an environment where technology, compassion, and trust worked together to make dental care more comfortable and more accessible.

The partnership flourished because each founder brought complementary strengths. Dr. Kamodia became the integrator, leading systems, strategy, clinical innovation, and financial planning. Dr. Marvelli became the visionary, shaping the practice culture and creating an environment where patients feel genuinely welcomed from the moment they arrive.

Together, they built something that extends beyond dentistry: an independent practice intentionally designed to thrive without sacrificing patient relationships or family life.

Technology With A Purpose

Mint Hill Smiles invested early in advanced technology, but every investment followed one simple question: Does this make care better for the patient?

The answer can be seen throughout the practice.

Same day porcelain crowns are designed, milled, and placed during a single appointment, eliminating temporary crowns and return visits. CBCT three dimensional imaging improves implant planning while also supporting pediatric airway evaluations. Digital scanners replace traditional impression trays, AI assisted diagnostics help dentists review radiographs with greater precision, and in house three dimensional printers produce aligners, retainers, and surgical guides.

The result is a practice that delivers modern dentistry while making appointments more comfortable, efficient, and convenient for patients.

Looking Beyond Teeth To Improve Children's Lives

Among the many services offered at Mint Hill Smiles, one has become especially meaningful to Dr. Kamodia.

Through the practice's Sleep Better Charlotte program, she focuses on pediatric airway dentistry, an area that continues gaining attention as healthcare professionals recognize the connection between breathing, sleep quality, jaw development, and childhood health.

Children who snore, breathe through their mouths, grind their teeth, experience restless sleep, or struggle with attention may be exhibiting signs of airway development issues rather than isolated behavioral concerns. Because much of jaw growth is complete by approximately age twelve, early intervention can play an important role in supporting healthy development.

Dr. Kamodia has pursued extensive advanced education in pediatric airway dentistry, including training through Airway Health Sciences, The Breathe Institute under Dr. Soroush Zaghi, Vivos, and Myobrace certification. Today, she treats children as young as three through Sleep Better Charlotte, providing families with access to care that remains uncommon among general dental practices.

Creating A Practice For People Who Fear The Dentist

Many practices say they care about anxious patients. Mint Hill Smiles designed an entire office around them.

New patients are welcomed with a tour before treatment begins, helping reduce uncertainty. Every treatment room features a television streaming Netflix on the ceiling, while a comfort menu offers weighted blankets, neck pillows, and noise canceling headphones.

The reception area feels more like a comfortable gathering space than a traditional waiting room, complete with a coffee bar, cookbook library, and a handcrafted moss wall built by the founders themselves.

These details are not marketing features. They reflect the founders' belief that reducing fear often begins long before any dental procedure starts.

A Mission That Extends Beyond The Office

Success at Mint Hill Smiles is measured by more than appointments completed.

The practice has committed to donating 5,000 free smiles by 2030, with 1,152 smiles already provided through free community dentistry events, charitable outreach, and international mission work.

That commitment recently earned additional recognition when the founders and their team were honored as both one of the Best Dentists in America and a Great Place to Work, acknowledging both the quality of care they provide and the positive impact they continue making within their communities.

In 2026, Dr. Kamodia, Dr. Marvelli, two hygienists, and three dental assistants traveled to the Dominican Republic to provide dental care in underserved communities where many patients had never seen a dentist before. During four days of service, the team completed 351 dental procedures, reinforcing the founders' belief that every successful practice has a responsibility to give back.

Independent By Choice

As more dental offices become part of large corporate organizations, Mint Hill Smiles has deliberately remained independently owned.

That independence allows the founders to make decisions based entirely on patient care rather than production quotas or corporate policies. It also gives them the flexibility to adopt new technology, expand specialized services, and continue investing in both their patients and their team whenever opportunities arise.

For Dr. Kamodia and Dr. Marvelli, independence has never been about ownership alone. It has been about protecting the culture they worked so hard to build.

Award Winning Excellence In Modern Dental Care

Mint Hill Smiles has been recognized as the Best Dentist Practice in Mint Hill of 2026 by Best of Best Review, an honor that reflects the practice's unwavering commitment to exceptional patient care, advanced dental technology, community impact, and an experience designed to put patients first.

Learn More About Mint Hill Smiles

Mint Hill Smiles continues redefining modern dentistry by combining advanced technology, compassionate care, pediatric airway expertise, and a commitment to serving its community. Whether patients need routine preventive care, same day crowns, dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, pediatric airway evaluations, or treatment designed specifically for anxious patients, the practice provides comprehensive care centered on comfort and long term oral health.

To schedule an appointment or learn more about the practice, visit Mint Hill Smiles. Families interested in pediatric airway evaluations and early airway development can explore Sleep Better Charlotte.

Follow Mint Hill Smiles on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for patient education, practice updates, and community events. Parents can also stay connected with pediatric airway education through Sleep Better Charlotte on Instagram.

Patients can also explore hundreds of five star reviews to learn why Mint Hill Smiles has become one of the Charlotte area's most trusted independent dental practices. To learn more or schedule a consultation, email us today at info@minthillsmiles.dentist.