General dentist · AFAAID · Founder, Midwest Institute for Advanced Education
Shivam S. Patel, DDS
Dr. Shivam S. Patel is a general dentist licensed in Illinois and the dentist at Midwest Center for Dentistry and Implants in Bensenville. He is an Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, has completed more than 1,500 hours of implant-focused continuing education since 2012, and plans, places, and restores implant cases in the practice’s own office.
At a glance
- License
- General dentist, Illinois (also licensed in Georgia)
- Education
- DDS, University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry, 2012; undergraduate degree, University of Illinois Chicago
- Credential
- Associate Fellow, American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AFAAID)
- Implant training
- More than 1,500 hours of implant-focused continuing education since 2012
- Teaching
- Founder, Midwest Institute for Advanced Education (MIAE)
- Memberships
- ADA, Illinois State Dental Society, Chicago Dental Society, AAID
Training built around implant dentistry
Dr. Patel’s implant training began the year he graduated. In 2012 he completed his first comprehensive implant course, more than 300 hours of continuing education, and he has completed at least 100 hours of implant-focused education every year since, for a total of more than 1,500 hours.
He is an Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AFAAID), a credential earned through extensive implant-focused continuing education and written and oral examinations.
Dr. Patel is a general dentist, not a licensed specialist. His implant work is built on that continuing education and credential, and on years of teaching the same material to other dentists.
The Atlanta years
From 2013 to 2019, Dr. Patel practiced in Atlanta as an associate dentist at the Atlanta Center for Restorative Dentistry, the private practice of Dr. Edward Mills, a period he considers central to his professional growth. He was part of the education programs run there, including Advanced Dental Implant Studies (ADIS), the AAID MaxiCourse, and the Maximus program.
He helped host the annual Summit on Advanced Dental Implant Studies in Atlanta from 2014 to 2017, which brought together clinicians from around the world, and practiced alongside specialists in oral surgery and nerve repair. He still holds an active Georgia dental license.
Teaching other dentists
Dr. Patel founded the Midwest Institute for Advanced Education (MIAE), which trains general dentists in implant dentistry.
How Dr. Patel approaches your care
“Every dental implant journey is unique. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Proper treatment planning is like creating a personalized blueprint designed just for you.”
— Dr. Patel, in Dental Implant Magazine (March 2026)
In practice, that means:
- Planning comes first. Implant cases start with a 3D CBCT scan, and more complex cases add digital impressions and a full-head facial scan, so the plan is built before treatment begins.
- One doctor, start to finish. Dr. Patel is the only dentist at MCDI. He plans each implant case, places the implants in the office, and delivers the final teeth himself.
- Options, not a single answer. Patients hear every option that fits their case, including ones that keep natural teeth or don’t involve implants.
- Referral when it’s the right call. Root canals and complex wisdom teeth close to the nerve are referred to specialists, and MCDI coordinates the referral.
Recognition and memberships
- Featured in Dental Implant Magazine (March 2026) in a profile on his approach to treatment planning.
- Member of the American Dental Association, the Illinois State Dental Society, the Chicago Dental Society, and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry.
- Clinician endorser of DEKA’s SmartXide CO₂ laser.
Outside the office
Dr. Patel was born in Chicago and grew up in the suburbs, then went to school downtown at UIC. After his years in Atlanta, he came home to Chicagoland, where he lives in a northwest suburb with his wife and their two children. The family enjoys time outdoors together and traveling.
Questions about Dr. Patel
Is Dr. Patel a specialist?
His implant training comes from more than 1,500 hours of implant-focused continuing education since 2012 and his Associate Fellow credential from the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. Dr. Patel is a general dentist licensed in Illinois.
What does AFAAID mean?
AFAAID stands for Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, a credential earned through extensive implant-focused continuing education and written and oral examinations.
Does Dr. Patel place implants himself?
Yes. Dr. Patel plans each implant case, places the implants in the MCDI office, and delivers the final teeth himself.
Does Dr. Patel ever refer patients to specialists?
Yes. Root canal treatment and complex wisdom teeth close to the nerve are referred to specialists, and MCDI coordinates the referral.
Where did Dr. Patel go to dental school?
The University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry, where he earned his DDS in 2012.