Florida dentists summit Cotopaxi to fund five charities

Dr. Sangiv Patel and Dr. Rajiv Patel climbed Ecuador’s Cotopaxi volcano as part of a fundraiser benefiting five charities, then earned recognition in AAID News. The effort tied a personal endurance challenge to matched giving for hunger relief, mission work and dental philanthropy.

Why it matters: - The Cotopaxi Charity Expedition turned a high-risk climb into a fundraising campaign for five nonprofits. - The effort linked personal challenge with philanthropy, a model that can amplify attention and donations. - The brothers’ national recognition in AAID News gave the campaign added visibility inside the dental profession.

What happened: - Dr. Sangiv Patel, founder of The Smile Gallery in Melbourne, Florida, and Dr. Rajiv Patel, retired founder of DeLand Implant Dentistry in DeLand, Florida, summited Cotopaxi in Ecuador. - Cotopaxi rises to 19,347 feet and is one of the world’s highest active volcanoes. - The brothers paired the climb with a matched-giving campaign called the Cotopaxi Charity Expedition. - The campaign supported The Children’s Hunger Project, Rescue Outreach Mission, Love Missions Global, The Rotary Club of Lake Mary Charitable Giving Foundation, and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry Foundation. - Both doctors were featured in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of AAID News, the official publication of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. - The AAID Foundation publicly thanked the brothers for supporting the organization and contributing to its matching campaign.

The details: - Dr. Sangiv Patel said the brothers felt a responsibility to give back and wanted the climb to show that important causes are worth the effort. - Dr. Rajiv Patel said the summit made him think about the families served by the five organizations and called that the real climb. - The expedition reflects a broader trend of professionals using personal challenges to drive philanthropic impact. - Readers inspired by the expedition are encouraged to support the five beneficiary organizations. - Dr. Sangiv Patel has spent more than three decades advancing implant, restorative and biometric dentistry. - Dr. Sangiv Patel has served on the AAID Board of Trustees and as Immediate Past President of the AAID Southern District. - Dr. Rajiv Patel spent nearly four decades in implant and restorative dentistry and retired in 2025. - Dr. Rajiv Patel previously served as an AAID Trustee and Southern District president.

Between the lines: - The fundraiser blended professional standing, endurance and charity in a way that can widen reach beyond standard donations. - AAID recognition suggests the campaign resonated within a network already connected to both dentists and implant dentistry philanthropy. - The project also reinforced the brothers’ public profiles as clinicians, educators and leaders, not just donors.

What’s next: - The five beneficiary organizations stand to gain additional support as the Cotopaxi story circulates. - The AAID News feature may help the brothers attract more attention for future charitable efforts. - The campaign’s message points to more public, challenge-based fundraising from professionals who want visible impact.