Dr. Nease was born in Parrottsville, TN (pop 110), a small town in East Tennessee that has the distinction of being the 3rd oldest town in the state of Tennessee. His passion for orthodontics started when he was 14 years old. His orthodontist was Dr. Joe Henley in Greenville, TN. Dr Henley was a great mentor, and after seeing how orthodontics changed his own smile and life, as well as others around him, he knew he wanted to be part of that profession.

He graduated as Valedictorian from Cocke County (TN) High School in 1988 and graduated from the University of Tennessee (Go Vols!) in 1992. He then attended the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in Memphis, TN, where he earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree as Valedictorian of his graduating class in 1996. He remained at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry for his orthodontic training, and received his Master of Dental Science (MDS) degree in June of 1999. He immediately joined the practice of Dr. Phil Higginbotham in Spartanburg, beginning a wonderful professional relationship and friendship that endures today.