By Gary Nager | September 14
It’s probably not every day that you hear a native New Yorker say that he’s kindred spirits with a dentist who was born in Korea, but that’s the way I feel about Dr. Daniel Hwang, DDS, of Pasco Dental, located in the Wesley Chapel Executive Center on S.R. 54, a little more than a mile east of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.
(Note-New Tampa residents who live north of I-75 are only 10-15 minutes from Pasco Dental.)
Although he was born in Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Hwang was raised in Mt. Vernon, VA, and moved to Brooklyn, NY, for middle school and Queens, NY, for high school. He received both his Bachelor’s degree (in 1987) and his DDS degree (in 1991) from prestigious Columbia University in Manhattan and spent twelve years “learning the ropes of the dental business” with his brother, who had a thriving dental practice in Ft. Lee, NJ. Dr. Hwang then began opening his own chain of Price Dental offices in Flushing, Queens; Plainview, Long Island; Manhattan; Brooklyn; and Ft. Lee and Bergen Township, NJ.
“I was traveling between six offices and not spending enough time with my family,” admits Dr. Hwang.
He adds that it was because his older son was a top-level tennis player that Dr. Hwang and his family found Saddlebrook Preparatory (Prep) School , the tennis and golf academy located inside the gates to Saddlebrook Resort Tampa, which is only a half-mile closer to BBD on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel than Dr. Hwang’s office.
That son, 21-year-old Ben, went on to win a State No. 1 singles championship while at Saddlebrook Prep, although he is now a future dentist completing his undergraduate degree at the also-prestigious Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Hwang says Ben plans to attend the Harvard School of Dental Medicine in Boston, MA, and the good doctor even admits that Ben is a better tennis player than he is. Dr. Hwang also played for the tennis team at Columbia and has helped coach his son through the years.
“I love coaching tennis,” says Dr. Hwang, who also has a 19-year-old daughter Nina at New York University and a 15-year-old son Tommy who attends New Tampa’s Paul R. Wharton High. “But, most of all, my wife Jan and I really enjoy spending quality time with our kids. We’re lucky to still have one at home.”
And of course, Dr. Hwang has a little more free time for his family now that he has only one state-of-the-art family dental office instead of six. The office is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. every weekday except Wednesday (when it is open noon-7 p.m.) and Dr. Hwang will make appointments for his patients before and after regular hours.
“Convenience is important to me and to my patients,” he says. “But, we’ve also invested in outstanding technology for this office that my patients also appreciate.”
New Technology & One-Stop Care
Dr. Hwang says he is proud to be able to provide all of the dental services every member of your family needs to have a winning smile.
“In New York, most general and family dentists provide all dental services,” he says, “but here in Florida, many dentists refer their patients to specialists for things like braces, dental implants and even gum or root canal procedures.”
He adds, “But, not every dentist has the passion I do for dentistry. I take 200 hours of continuing education every year, although dentists are only required to take 30 hours every two years. With my experience, I almost never have to refer one of my patients to a specialist. Dental implants and mini-implants are among my specialties.”
Dr. Hwang also has had advanced coursework and experience with Botox injections, Invisalign orthodontic devices, 6 month braces, Inman Aligners, Lumineers, and sedation dentistry.
In order to meet his commitment to quality care, Dr. Hwang expanded his six-year-old office about six months ago, and says he added some outstanding new technology, including now having one of the only 3D CT Scan Sirona Orthophos machines in the Tampa Bay area and certainly the only one in Wesley Chapel.
“It definitely offers a more accurate 3D depiction of the patient’s full head, jaw and even the sinus cavity, which allows me to be as accurate as possible when creating dental implants. It even shows both the quantity and the quality of bone in your mouth to handle the implants.”
He notes that he also has a low-dose, two-dimensional X-ray machine that is appropriate for most patients, “but having the 3D scan gives both me and the patient more peace of mind for the more complicated procedures we do.”
Comfort Is A Key, Too
One of the other new additions at Pasco Dental is the post-op room. Whether the patient is recuperating from oral surgery with novocaine or sedation, this calming room features two large massage chairs, a large flatscreen TV and even a fireplace, all to make the recovering patient feel more comfortable and at ease.
“Our elderly patients, in particular, seem to enjoy the warmth of the fireplace while recuperating,” he says, adding that while some senior citizens may not have enough quality bone for full implants, “we usually can help them with mini-implants, which are great for stabilizing dentures.”
No Insurance Surprises, Too
Pasco Dental accepts most major dental insurance plans, but Dr. Hwang says his experience dealing with the insurance companies for 22 years allows him to prevent patients from being surprised when they get their bills. “I know what your plan will and won’t pay for and how much they reimburse for your procedure. “I’m so confident that if the insurance company ends up not paying that amount, we won’t hold the patient responsible for the difference.”
Dr. Hwang also promises that Pasco Dental is not “high-pressure dentistry.”
“I have (New York) city savvy and common sense. I want you and your family to be confident that I want you to be a happy patient, so I will not try to get you to do work you don’t need or can’t afford. I always offer the best possible care possible with your financial concerns in mind.”
I told you I had an affinity for the guy, didn’t I?
For more info about and appointments with Dr. Daniel Hwang at Pasco Dental (29450 S.R. 54), call 907-6600 or visit PascoDental.net.
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