Q: What’s one item you can’t live without? My phone. Lol. Staff can vouch.

Q: What’s the first concert you ever attended? David Lee Roth at the Carolina Coliseum, circa 1986.

Q: What’s the weirdest food you’ve ever tried? Fried rattlesnake and stewed moose.

Q: Who is a family member or person you know who inspires you the most, and why? My dad. His work ethic and unwavering commitment to faith and family, in the good times and in the face of adversity, is remarkable.

Q: What would could you eat every day? Rare porterhouse or prime rib.

• University of South Carolina
• MUSC College of Dental Medicine

Dr. Boykin grew up in Sumter, South Carolina, and, coincidentally, spent much of his life passing by the very office where he now works. His family often traveled to Columbia for sporting events, dining, and shopping, and those trips continued through his college years while he attended the University of South Carolina, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

Dentistry has long been a part of Dr. Boykin’s family. His father was a general dentist in Sumter for more than 40 years before retiring a few years ago and graduated from the MUSC College of Dental Medicine in 1976. Dr. Boykin followed in his footsteps, attending MUSC’s College of Dental Medicine and graduating in 2005.

At the age of 16, Dr. Boykin met his now-wife, Melissa, after giving her just three days’ notice before asking her to his junior prom. In September 2026, they will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. He and Melissa have one child, Cal, who was born during Dr. Boykin’s first year of dental school and will begin attending the University of South Carolina School of Law this August.

Outside the office, Dr. Boykin enjoys hunting, fishing, and, more recently, dabbling in hyperrealistic graphite drawing. Some of his artwork is displayed in the office, and his drawings can also be found on Instagram at @drcvbjr. His ideal vacation would be spent in a mountain cabin overlooking a lake in the fall, relaxing by a fire while marathon-watching the Star Wars trilogies, with maybe The Notebook added in for Melissa.

Dr. Boykin believes the patient-dentist relationship begins with the trust patients place in him to care for their oral health. His treatment recommendations are guided by what he would want for himself or a family member. He also wants patients to know they are in a judgment-free environment and that he approaches their care with empathy, having personally experienced extensive dental work himself.