On Coffee Road in Modesto, a long-running family practice has a new name and a new owner. What used to be Sulak Dentistry - the office Dr. John L. Sulak, DDS, FACD, built after opening in Modesto in 1991 - now operates as Nest Family Dentistry. The old website, sulakdentistry.com, forwards to nestfamilydentistry.com. The address has not changed: 3609 Coffee Road, Suite 2, Modesto, CA 95355.
The dentist now leading the practice is Dr. Tarang M. Patel, DDS. Dr. Sulak remains listed on the site, which matters for families who have been coming to that suite for years. For people shopping for a dentist in Modesto, Oakdale, or Riverbank, the useful question is not whether the sign out front is new. It is what Dr. Patel’s training actually is, and what patients who have already sat in his chair say about the experience.
A dual-trained dentist with a USC degree and an honor-society record
Dr. Patel’s path is more layered than a typical local listing suggests.
He grew up in India and completed his first dental degree at the Government Dental College and Hospital in Ahmedabad (Gujarat University). He later earned a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) from the University of North Texas Health Science Center. In 2019 he completed his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC in Los Angeles, through USC’s Advanced Standing Program for International Dentists. USC’s own commencement materials list him as Tarang Mukeshbhai Patel, B.D.S., Gujarat University; M.P.H., University of North Texas.
The practice bio says he graduated with honors and was inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU), Zeta Chapter - dentistry’s national honor society, reserved for students with strong academic and clinical records plus character and leadership. That is a meaningful academic marker, not a marketing badge every dentist can claim.
He holds a California dental license (DDS103769) and NPI 1790345767. Public records place his current practice address at the Coffee Road office and show the license as active. He is listed as a member of the American Dental Association, the California Dental Association, and the Stanislaus Dental Society.
Dr. Patel practices as a general dentist and lists advanced training across several areas patients in the Central Valley often have to chase through multiple referrals:
- All-on-4® “Teeth in a Day” full-arch implant technique
- Implant placement and restorations, including crowns, bridges, and snap-on dentures
- Invisalign® and other clear aligners (the office also markets Smilewave aligners)
- Root canals
- Veneers and other cosmetic work
- Wisdom-tooth and surgical extractions
- Nitrous oxide and oral sedation
The office also handles preventive care, gum-disease treatment, emergencies, and most routine family dentistry. New-patient visits are described as comprehensive exams that include oral-cancer screening, periodontal measurements, and medical screening such as blood pressure. The practice says it accepts most insurance and keeps an insurance specialist on staff - a holdover from the Sulak years that long-time patients already associated with that address.
You can stay in one chair for cleanings, implants, aligners, and sedation instead of being sent across town.
Before buying the Coffee Road practice, public business profiles describe associate work in the region at offices including Cheema Dental, Singh Dental Center, Modesto Kidz Dental, and Western Dental. That local associate chapter is relevant. He was not a brand-new graduate dropped into ownership; he had already treated patients in Stanislaus County.
Away from the operatory, the practice site says he lives in Manteca with his wife, Sheena, and their two children, and that he swims, plays tennis, and practices yoga. Family-practice branding is easy on a website. Here, it matches the “Nest” name and the decision to keep Dr. Sulak visible during the transition.
What public reviews say
He is described as welcoming and willing to work around patients.
Dina Chiley (Google, February 2026) wrote that her hygienist, Whitney, was gentle and easy to talk to, and that “Dr. Patel is also very welcoming and does his best to accommodate his patients.” She also noted a clean office and a warm atmosphere.
People with dental anxiety say the visit felt manageable.
A December 2025 Google review posted under the name Sheena Patel said the staff was “helpful, kind, and professional,” that Dr. Patel “listened to my concerns,” and that the procedure was “quick and painless.” The official biography lists Dr. Patel’s wife as Sheena, so this particular review should be read with that in mind rather than treated as an unrelated third-party testimonial. The content still matches what other patients emphasize: listening, a calm chairside manner, and not dragging out treatment.
Cleanings are described as unhurried and clearly explained.
Vishwa Patel (Google, December 2025) recommended “Dr. Tarang Patel” after a cleaning and polishing visit, writing that the dentist and staff were “kind, gentle,” took their time, explained everything, and left their teeth “clean, smooth, and refreshed.”
The office already had a reputation for emergency access and honesty - under the previous owner.
Older Google and website comments praise Dr. Sulak as thorough, careful about pain, and “totally honest and open.” Homepage testimonials that do not name a specific doctor - Paul M. on being seen quickly for emergencies, Kelli B. on a dentist who calms anxiety, Liane S. on friendliness and emergency availability - describe the practice more than they isolate Dr. Patel. That still matters. Staff continuity, hours, and emergency habits help a newly owned office feel established on day one.
Public comments show a clear pattern: gentleness, explanation, accommodation, a clean room, and help with anxiety. Those are the same qualities long-time Sulak patients already associated with 3609 Coffee Road.
Based on public information:
- The academic bar is high. A first dental degree from a major Indian government college, an MPH, a USC DDS, and OKU induction is a stronger paper record than many general dentists advertise.
- The clinical menu is broader than basic cleanings. Implants, All-on-4 training, Invisalign, sedation, endodontics, and oral surgery in one general-practice setting is convenient for families who do not want a specialist hop for every problem.
- He stepped into an office with three decades of local goodwill. Dr. Sulak’s FACD, Stanislaus Dental Society leadership, and long review history are part of the inheritance, and Dr. Sulak is still listed at the practice.
- Early patient comments about Dr. Patel himself cluster around bedside manner, not around billing fights or rushed exams.
- The review sample under his own name is still small. Healthgrades and WebMD have not caught up. Yelp still points at the Sulak listing. Readers should treat five-star Google snippets as an early signal, not as a finished verdict.
For a lot of people in Modesto, that combination - serious training, a full-service chair, a familiar Coffee Road address, and comments about being heard - is exactly what they mean by a good family dentist. Whether he becomes one of the city’s most-reviewed dentists will depend on the next few years of independent write-ups, not on a rebranded homepage.
If you are considering a visit
Nest Family Dentistry
3609 Coffee Road, Suite 2
Modesto, CA 95355
PHONE: (209) 524-4000
Nest Family Dentistry: your new dentist in Modesto
Typical hours listed on the site are Monday through Thursday, about 7:45 or 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and closed on Friday. The office says it is accepting new patients and will help with insurance claims.