When Soham Apte, DMD, BDS, arrived in Beloit, Wisconsin, to serve as the sole full-time dentist at a federally qualified health center (FQHC), he knew he was choosing the road less traveled. But for Apte, providing care in one of Wisconsin’s most underserved regions is both a calling and a continuation of his lifelong commitment to service. 

“The ability to help someone eat, speak and smile again is transformative,” he said. “That’s what keeps me grounded and motivated every single day.”

Apte’s journey began in Mumbai, India, where his father, Vivek Apte, BDS, a respected dentist, instilled in him a passion for patient care and lifelong learning. After earning his Bachelor of Dental Surgery from the Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, he immersed himself in community outreach, organizing rural dental camps and tobacco cessation programs. 

His early exposure to global dentistry deepened during a preceptorship in prosthodontics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Dentistry, where he also participated in research on mandibular osteomas. Drawn to evidence-based education and digital innovation, he earned his DMD at Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, graduating summa cum laude and later being recognized in Temple’s “30 Under 30” for outstanding alumni achievement.

Apte delivers a full range of care — from surgical extractions to complex dentures — for patients who might otherwise wait months for treatment. He also serves as an extramural adjunct clinical professor at the University of Illinois College of Dentistry, mentoring dental students and guiding them toward careers in community health. 

“Teaching reminds me of how my own mentors shaped my journey,” he said. “If I can inspire even one student to serve where they’re most needed, that’s success.”

Juili Shivde, DMD, MS, BDS, who nominated Apte to this year’s 10 Dentists to Watch, described him as “a clinician who leads by example, choosing purpose over comfort, and using his global experience to bridge access gaps with compassion and skill.”