Ever since I wrote my previous post on my journey to opening Aashvi Smiles Dental Group, I’ve been thinking about the reasons why San Carlos became the location for my first dental practice. What was it about this city that made us want to look no further?
Life in the Bay
I’ve lived in the Bay Area continuously since 2021 and for a few months between 2018-2019, and 2013-2015. During this time I’ve lived in and worked in many of its cities. San Francisco, Oakland, Dublin, Fremont, Castro Valley, San Jose, San Mateo and Milpitas, to name just a few.
The Bay Area has some of the oldest and most established communities in this country. We have had people moving here and settling down to make a living, for generations. We also have a diversity of people and customs here to be proud of, with so many languages spoken on a daily basis.
Diversity is expected and accepted
It’s one of the biggest advantages of being in the Bay, to me. One never feels alone, no matter where in the world you are from! I have never been made to feel like an outsider. It is a feeling I often had back in Washington state where I went to dental school and later worked for many years.
Architecture
San Francisco is its own bubble but the rest of our suburbs tend to follow a similar blue print. There’s always a small downtown with a sprinkle of businesses. Then there’s pockets of retail areas mostly in the form of strip malls. And then of course there’s lots and lots of single family homes all around. However, there are some exceptions to these rules.
In 2024 I was mainly looking for areas in and around San Mateo. My broker showed me our first space in San Carlos. It was in a dental building that had four tenants, all dental professionals. While I didn’t like the space being vacated by an orthodontist, who is now my friend, I loved the street the building was located on.
Love at first sight?
Laurel street. Just the most charming, unassuming little street that spans the full downtown of San Carlos. It is dotted by lots of businesses, wineries, a bookstore, coffee shops and restaurants. I immediately fell in love with it. When I brought B to visit the new space at 555 El Camino Real, Suite #100, San Carlos, he loved it too. We came back home and started researching San Carlos.
Great schools
San Carlos is a city in the Bay Area that is still small enough to feel cozy and large enough to accommodate the best elementary and middle schools. B and I recognized that if we were lucky enough to move here, our kids would grow up in a fantastic neighborhood. This little detail played a big role in confirming our decision to have the practice in San Carlos. I wanted to open a practice in a city with lots of families, where parents placed importance on health care and education. It would mean we would find people who thought like us.
City of Good Living
After meeting more people from the area, and other dentists/specialists who practice there, I knew we were making a good decision. Everyone raved about San Carlos, with literally nothing bad to say about it. Most importantly, my fellow colleagues spoke especially highly of their patients, saying it’s a blessing to be in an area with the nicest families.
Luck
My broker from ROAM, Foad showed me one other spot before I picked the final one. It was a space right across the street from the first dental building. It was too small (just 1000 sq feet) and had no street parking so that was an automatic no. Ours was right by the Caltrain station, had enough parking and was the perfect size for a small startup like mine. I knew right away that it was perfect.
And that’s how Aashvi Smiles Dental Group was born and is now in San Carlos! I hope to open doors to patients in late Fall 2026 and that you will join me there!