Letters from the Doctors

Dear Valued Patients and Families,

I am writing this letter in hopes that I can express what it is that I want most for our practice and our patients. Perhaps, through this letter, I can convey to you our goals as your Pediatric Dentists and Orthodontist.

As I think back to my graduation in 1998, I remember how excited I was to finally become a Pediatric Dentist. My primary goals in my early years of practicing were to learn as much as possible about serving children and their families effectively. Although I enjoyed working as a Dentist, I found that in some offices, the Dentists were not allowed to practice in a way that was best for their patients. Some offices were heavily dominated with patients on HMO/PPO plans that either limited or dictated the way that we practiced. Their focus was oftentimes more on patient volume than quality care. Dentists were sometimes forced to complete treatment under certain time restrictions, despite the fact that children usually have their own schedules. The goal in some of these practices was to "just get the job done", regardless of how the child was reacting. I never felt good when a child left the office terrified to ever come back to the Dentist again.

Early in my career, I realized that I did not want to practice this way. As a child, I was afraid to go to the Dentist. As an adult, I still harbor a bit of apprehension when going to the Dentist! I will be the first Dentist to admit that Dentistry can be very difficult. I have numerous friends and family who avoid the Dentist due to bad childhood experiences. Therefore, I have realized that our work as Pediatric Dentists is insignificant if our patients grow up never seeking dental care again.

Today, I can honestly say that I love the way our Doctors and Staff practice Dentistry. The most rewarding thing about my job is turning a frightened, apprehensive child into a patient who loves to come see us. One of our parents said to me, "My child wanted to come to the Dentist on his birthday because he loves it here so much." This statement was just about the best compliment our practice could ever receive.

We feel fortunate to have the trust of so many families and physicians in our community.  All of our dental assistants are Registered Dental Assistants (RDA's) and many have been with our practice for over a decade. We do not hire inexperienced or unlicensed staff in order to save money. Our best achievement in building our practices is retaining staff who work hard and truly love children. All of our staff and doctors believe in the golden rule "Treat others as you would like to be treated." I am very proud of our practices. Dr. Chand, Dr. Lani, Dr. Yvonne and Dr. Wu are wonderful caring dentists.  Our team holds degrees from the top dental schools in the nation, and as mothers ourselves, we treat our patients as we would our own children.

We have many goals for our practices. We strive for state of the art, quality care in a clean and professional environment. We want our parents to feel comfortable about calling us at any time with questions or concerns. We also want to educate our families so our patients grow up cavity free.  We want your children to feel positive about going to the dentist so they grow up to be adults who seek out regular dental care. In summary, we want to serve you the best way that we can and we are humbled and thankful that you have chosen us to care for your children.

Sincerely,
Dr. Clara Lee

Dear Patients, Parents and Families,

Welcome to our practice! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to care for your children. I hope this letter conveys to you the mission of our practice and provides you a glimpse into our office.

My belief is that childhood experiences shape a person’s perception throughout his or her life. Growing up in a family of four children with immigrant parents, money was very scarce. Our only option for dental care was a local free dental clinic provided for lower income families. I always dreaded visiting this dental clinic –it was so cold and stale.

I recall one visit when I had to get two baby teeth removed because my adult teeth had already come in. Although I was frightened, I worked up all my courage to sit in the dental chair and be brave. When the dentist arrived, she didn’t say a word to me and proceeded to lay out all her instruments before my eyes; once I saw the instruments, I jumped out of the chair and ran out the door! My father was stunned as he watched me run out of the office with the dentist chasing after me. Embarrassed by the situation, my father took me home and gave me two options: I could either go back to the dentist, or he would pull my teeth out right then and there with a pair of pliers! I opted for my father to take my teeth out. Looking back, it seems pretty ridiculous that I allowed my father, a man who had no dental training, to take out my teeth. The truth was that I was so afraid of the dentist that I would rather let my father pull out my teeth before stepping back into the dentist’s office. Because of this childhood experience, I still harbor a bit of anxiety when I go in for any dental visit and this is why I became a pediatric dentist. My goal is to provide my patients with positive experiences from the very first time they see me, so that they become adults who regularly visit the dentist without any anxiety.

This goal is our mission, which is reflected in our staff and doctors. From the very first minute a patient walks into our office, we all work in concert to make each child’s dental visit a pleasant and positive one. I am very proud of our practice because our staff continues to strive for excellence in everything they do. We are dedicated to providing quality dental care in a nurturing environment and are glad to welcome you into our family. I look forward to caring for your children for many years to come!

Sincerely,
Dr. Anna Chand

Dr. Lee, a Southern California native, graduated from UCLA’s School of Dentistry in 1998. She works hard to ensure that her young patients grow up with a positive attitude towards regular dental care and good oral health. Dr. Lee remains active in the local Orange County community.

Dr. Chand received her D.D.S from the UCLA School of Dentistry and is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Chand strives to make each dental visit with her young patients a positive and pleasant experience in order to ensure a lifelong commitment to oral health from a young age.

Contact Our Irvine or San Juan Capistrano Dental Offices 

 At Irvine and Capistrano Children’s Dentistry, we are committed to providing your child with high quality treatment in a welcoming and comforting environment. We understand that the dentist can be a very scary experience for a child and we aim to make it as easy and anxiety-free as possible. Our team of doctors and staff work hard to create a bond and build a trust with your child. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our Irvine or San Juan Capistrano offices. Our staff is happy to answer your questions or help you schedule an appointment. We also serve patients from nearby Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo and the greater Orange County area. We look forward to hearing from you!