Caring Terrell, TX Orthodontist
Get to Know Adam Patenaude, DMD, MS
As many of you already know, Texas Dentistry cares deeply about giving you dentistry that is truly comprehensive and convenient. It’s one of the reasons we house so many dental professionals across our multiple practices. We’re very excited to introduce Dr. Adam Patenaude, who is an experienced orthodontist, to our dental network. Anything you need regarding orthodontics, he’s your man for the job! In the meantime, feel free to learn more about his story below. We’re sure that you’ll find it easy to make friendly conversation with him during your initial and follow-up orthodontic appointments!
Why Did You Decide to Become an Orthodontist?
Dr. Patenaude’s parents always instilled the values of hard work and treating people as you would like to be treated. Being in a strong Christian family, he was taught the importance of giving back however he could, especially as someone who was told his late grandfather was a community doctor himself. To him, treating patients as more than just members of the community, but family, is second nature.
While Dr. Patenaude always planned to become a doctor of some kind, it wasn’t until after he shadowed in dentistry that he realized the field was his true calling. Since he was young, he always loved the idea of being able to positively change someone’s appearance (and life), especially following some sort of trauma. In fact, it’s something that Dr. Patenaude understands personally as one of the dental professionals who mentored him was the same person who helped his father following a traumatic incident. Even though he hadn’t known much about the oral surgeon who helped his family or his field of work at the time, it still embodied what he saw for his own life.
As a result of his engineering background, the orthodontic path also made the most sense to Dr. Patenaude. Pursuing this specialty inevitably allowed him to change people’s lives through esthetics and help restore self-confidence in their smile. As he learned more and more about the field, he found it played into his passion for science and biomechanics and he feels truly lucky and privileged to be able to work in the career that he does.
Where Did You Study Dentistry?
Dr. Patenaude attended Monson High School in his hometown of Monson, MA before going on to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for chemical engineering and an accelerated college/medical school track program. It was during this time that he had the opportunity to shadow in dentistry, which then led him to applying to Harvard’s School of Dental Medicine instead to obtain his dental degree. After graduating, he attended the Texas A&M Baylor College of Dentistry to earn his certificate in orthodontics, a masters in oral biology, and complete research in the field of accelerated orthodontics. He’s also certified in Invisalign clear aligners for those looking for a metal-free option to straighten teeth!
Today, he’s a member of many well-established dental organizations, including the American Association of Orthodontics and Texas Association of Orthodontics. After taking the Tweed Study Course, he joined the Charles H. Tweed International Foundation, an organization dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment. Outside the office, he’s also participated in mission trips, including one trip to Armenia where he served dental services to children in need.
What Do You Like to Do Outside of the Office?
Dr. Patenaude is currently living in Kaufman County, married to his loving wife, and loves staying active through sports like sand volleyball, tennis, and golf. Over the last few years, he’s also become a big fan of board game nights and loves playing with his friends and family. One interesting fact about him is one of his favorite foods to cook (and eat) is perfectly cooked spaghetti with meat sauce.