Q: What got you into this specific medical field?
A: I did an internship with a doctor at the UC Davis Med Center in Sacramento when I was a Junior in College. He reconstructed patients after trauma or surgical procedures that left their mouths and facial structures less functional or esthetic than they liked. It was inspiring to see how beneficial dental based procedures can be... how they changed people's ability to confidently interact with their worlds.
 
Q: What landed you in your city, and what is it that you like about the neighborhood?
A: I have loved San Francisco since high school. The diversity and energy and beauty of this city has kept it as my favorite over the past decades of living and traveling to so many other places. I am really happy to finally be working here.
 
Q: Where did you receive your undergraduate and professional degrees, and did you participate in any residencies?
A: I attended UC Davis for my undergraduate degree and Northwestern University in downtown Chicago for my DDS. I completed further advanced dental programs in Chicago, Michigan, and Las Vegas since then. I plan on continuing to do more each year.
 
Q: Do you belong to any professional associations?
A: The American Dental Association, California Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, the International Congress of Oral Implantology, The Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
 
Q: What year did you begin practicing?
A: 1990
 
Q: What investments in your practice equipment and facilities have you made?
A: I have invested in dental laser equipment, the most current digital imaging systems, digital patient record systems, and have switched to the most modern of small dental equipment, such as handpieces and whitening devices as well.
 
Q: What procedures do you feel your practice excels in above others?
A: I believe we have found great approaches to utilizing the highest quality materials and techniques to accomplishing the simple procedures as well as the very complex reconstructive procedures that our patients might need. I have found that we do that in a manner that puts people at ease and makes the process more enjoyable than would be expected from a dental office.
 
Q: What are your office hours?
A: Our regular office hours are Mon and Wed 10am - 7pm and Tues, Thurs, and Fri 9am - 6pm. Lunch is from 1-2 pm. We have all other times available by request, with a bit of advanced notice.
 
Q: What HMO or PPO providers are you in network with? Do you offer financing?
A: We are in Network with most PPO Insurance plans, and if we are not, for some reason, we are willing to discuss becoming a network provider with them if a patient requests it from us. We do have third party financing options at 0% interest for twelve months. We are not in Network with any HMO plans.
 
Q: Do you accept any government programs or discount cards?
A: We accept several. We are not Medi-Cal providers.
 
Q: What are the most challenging parts of your everyday practice?
A: The most challenging part is to overcome a new patient's preconceived notion about the difficulty or expense of dentistry in general. I have been very fortunate to have learned what a tremendous difference a great team can make in effectively listening to our patients and communicatng the details of how and what needs to be accomplished. Nobody who is not excellent at that is allowed as part of our office staff. Our goal is to deliver great care, but to do so within the comfort zone of each of our patients.
 
Q: What are the best moments that make it worthwhile?
A: There are so many!!! Every time we complete a procedure or stop a disease process that is deteriorating a patient's tooth or worst, their overall health, it feels fabulous. Obviously, there are great moments when we complete a really extensive case, but each day we find that someone is better off than when they walked in, it's a worthwhile day.