Meet Dr. Petty
Asheville, NC

Dr. Catherine Petty Ayala, DDS grew up in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She received her B.A. in Biological Sciences with a minor in Spanish Language from Clemson University, where she was a member of the Honors College and graduated summa cum laude. After graduating from Clemson, Dr. Petty moved to Colorado to attend dental school. While living in Colorado, Dr. Petty developed her passion for hiking, camping, and skiing. After graduating from the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Petty moved to Asheville with her husband, Alberto. She began her career as a dentist with the Indian Health Service and served patients on the Eastern Cherokee Reservation.

Dr. Petty and her husband enjoy taking advantage of all the great amenities Asheville has to offer – from camping to breweries – and bringing along their dog, Bruno, as much as possible. Dr. Petty loves to travel and has been involved in several medical and dental volunteer trips abroad including to Peru and Ghana. In her free time, you’ll find her reading, running, or working in her garden.

Dr. Petty was inspired to become a dentist at a young age. She was scared when she broke her front tooth at 9 years old, but she was amazed by how her dentist was able to fix the tooth and make it look as good as new! Now, she loves being able to help her own patients in that same way.