Meet The Doctors
John Draper, DDS
Dr. John Draper is a family-loving father of five beautiful children, three girls and two little boys. Dr. Draper met the love of his life, Wendy, at age 14! He graduated from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in 2016. Dr. Draper served in the Idaho National Guard and the Army Reserves after signing up when he was 17 years old and completed two tours of duty before finding his true calling in the dental industry. He finds joy in serving the wonderful patients of Better Dental, meeting one need at a time.
Tia Joyce, DDS
Dr. Tia Joyce looks forward to providing the highest level of dental care to you and your loved ones. Dr. Joyce is a North Carolina native, born in Charlotte and raised in North Wilkesboro, NC. Dr. Joyce attended Meredith College for undergrad, majoring in chemistry, biology, and psychology, and participated in several clubs and organizations, many of which she was honored to serve in as an executive member. After college, Dr. Joyce took a year off to work in a dental practice and soak in everything she could, with hopes to one day become the best dentist possible. Dr. Joyce attended dental school at UNC School of Dentistry at Chapel Hill, where she fell more and more in love with dentistry everyday.
In her free time, Dr. Joyce enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, and especially loving on her dog, Gubbs! She is honored to serve you here at Better Dental and is truly looking forward to welcoming you into our Better Dental family.
Nirmi Patel, DDS
Dr. Anu Palakodeti is a skilled and compassionate dentist who has dedicated her career to helping patients achieve optimal oral health. She completed her undergraduate studies in GDCH, Hyderabad India as summa cum laude. and was awarded the “Best Outgoing Student Award” before earning her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Boston University, graduating magna cum laude.
Dr. Anu has had an exciting career journey, having worked as lead dentist for 15 years in Ohio and as the dental director of Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) at NYU Langone. She’s committed to staying up-to-date with the latest dental advancements and techniques to ensure her patients receive the highest quality care.
Dr. Anu takes a patient-centered approach to dental care and strives to create a comfortable and welcoming environment for all her patients. She understands that many people may feel anxious about visiting the dentist and works hard to help patients feel at ease during their appointments. She takes the time to listen to her patients’ concerns and develops personalized treatment plans that address their unique needs. Dr. Anu is a highly skilled dentist who is passionate about giving back to the community through volunteering her time and expertise at Give Kids a Smile Day and senior care facilities.
When she’s not in the office helping patients achieve their best smiles, Dr. Anu loves to spend quality time with her family. She’s always up for a fun adventure, whether it’s exploring a new hiking trail or trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.
Even after practicing for over a decade in the Midwest, Dr. Anu never got used to the cold winters of Ohio. So she and her family decided to move to the warmer climate of North Carolina. She has a loving husband, and two wonderful boys – Pranav and Abhi. She and her family fell in love with the state’s natural beauty, friendly people and charming little towns. She’s thrilled to be practicing in the area and serving the local community with her expertise and caring personality.
Sree Nadella, DDS
Sree is honored to be the Chief Dental Officer for Better Dental. She was born in Virginia and moved to Roanoke Rapids, NC at a young age. She attended UNC Chapel Hill for both undergrad and dental school. Her dental niche is sedation dentistry, and she enjoys all aspects of general dentistry. Sree helps patients with dental anxiety receive dental care in a safe and relaxing environment. She considers it an honor and pleasure to listen to patient needs, provide excellent dentistry, and take care of each one personally. She looks forward to meeting you!
Her blood runs blue…go HEELS! She married her husband, Praveen, in 2004. They have two sweet teenage daughters, Jaya and Sona, and a Maltese named Murphy.
John Addison, DDS
The great William Shakespeare once said, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them”. Dr. Addison says, “Some are born to be dentists, some achieve dentistry, and some have dentistry thrust upon them”. This is a great way to understand Dr. Addison’s dental journey. A native of the south suburbs of Chicago, Dr. Addison grew up always looking forward to going to the dentist because going to the dentist meant seeing his grandfather and extended family in Canada. Dr. Addison has such great memories of hanging out with his Grampy, talking to patients, and learning about procedures at the dental office. At home in Illinois, Dr. Addison was able to continue exploring his dental curiosities by tagging along at work with his mother, a dental hygienist.
Dr. Addison was admitted to the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), an esteemed public boarding high school, where he was able to passionately explore the sciences. He later attended Northwestern University, majoring in Philosophy and Physiology, while undertaking critical medical research projects. As Dr. Addison was finalizing what career to pursue, fate intervened when he was hit by a car while biking through campus, luckily suffering injuries only to his teeth. Taken by ambulance to the ER, one of the first providers to treat him was an emergency room dentist that embodied just how dentistry can positively affect people’s lives. As his smile was restored over the coming months, it became clear that dentistry was Dr. Addison’s calling. Dr. Addison attended Tufts University School of Dental Medicine where he excelled, graduating with honors and being awarded the respected “Excellence in Esthetic Dentistry Award”.
After graduating dental school, Dr. Addison was sure of one thing . . . he needed to leave cold weather behind! In 2012, in sunny Miami, Dr. Addison realized his life-long dental dream of owning and operating his own dental practice – Addison Dental. With extensive training in implants, cosmetic dentistry, and sleep apnea treatment from prestigious institutions like The Pankey Institute, Dr. Addison quickly became a beloved dentist, earning accolades for his work year after year.
As much as Dr. Addison loved practicing in Miami, he loves his amazing family even more! With 3 terrific kids, a mischievous puppy, and a truly spectacular wife, it was an easy decision to sell his Miami practice and move to North Carolina when his wife got the perfect opportunity to pursue her MBA and tech startup at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. While relocating to North Carolina has been a whirlwind adventure, Dr. Addison and his family are truly loving North Carolina and are certain they’ve found a place to settle down and call home. Dr. Addison is ecstatic that he has found the perfect fit and a great dental family at Better Dental. He looks forward to continuing his dental journey and using his skills, experience, and expertise to improve the health and smiles of his patients.