I was born in Vietnam and my family and I relocated here in 1981 when I was only 11 months old. I am the youngest of 8 children and grew up in Buffalo, N.Y. (And yes, it was very cold! ). I attended City Honors High School and from there I attended Daemen College and graduated with my Masters in Science, majoring in Physician Assistant studies. After graduation, I moved to Syracuse and worked at Crouse Hospital Emergency Department for 2 years before deciding I wanted tofurther my education. I loved seeing my pediatric patients and a fellow colleague Pediatrician recommended I shadow her friend who was a Pediatric Dentist to see if it was right for me. I had always considered Dentistry as a child but after shadowing the Pediatric Dentist, I fell in love with dentistry again and that solidified my decision to go to dental school. I was so honored to be accepted to one of the most competitive dental schools in the U.S. I moved to Long Island and attended Stony Brook University Dental School. I had an amazing time there and gained tons of clinical experience. In my last year of dental school, I was honored and asked to be a contributing author for a review book for dental students taking their boards for licensure and it was published in 2010.
I completed my Pediatric Dental residency at Long Island Jewish Hospital in Queens, NY and served as Chief Resident my final year mentoring new residents. The amount of clinical experience was exceptional. I was so fortunate to be able to work in a state-of-the-art, hospital-based program alongside renowned Pediatric Dentists and Physicians, very well respected in their clinical fields. My clinical experience included in-depth training pertaining to child psychology, management, oral pathology, trauma, radiology, pharmacology, growth and development, diagnosis, surgical procedures, patients with special needs, nitrous oxide, conscious sedation and general anesthesia. Residency was definitely exciting and just a couple weeks into the program, I was fortunate to help a woman deliver her baby in her car in the hospital parking lot! Talk about being at the right place at the right time!
After completion of residency, Ive worked hard throughout the years in beautiful private offices in Long Island and New York City. But, I wanted to be closer to my family so I decided to move to Florida which brought me to Lakewood Ranch. My family resides nearby and I fell in love with Lakewood Ranch visiting over the years. I am very proud to call Lakewood Ranch/Sarasota my new hometown.
I am Board certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Certification involves going through a voluntarily 2 part rigorous written and oral examination process by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD). Im also an active member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD), American Dental Association (ADA), College of Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, Florida Dental Association (FDA), West Coast Florida Dental Association (WCDDA), Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry, and Sarasota Dental Society. I feel honored that I was selected to be included in the 2016 edition Leading Physicians of the World Magazine honoring doctors who demonstrated leadership and achievement in their field.
In my spare time, I am an active member of the community and local philanthropy groups. I also enjoy participating in mission outreach programs, going to the beach, church, taking exercising classes, cooking, interior design, and spending time with my family and friends.
Thank you for taking the time to read my professional journey. I want to sincerely thank you for choosing us as the dental home for your child. We appreciate your confidence in us. It has been a long-time dream of mine to create this office for you and I hope you love it as much as I do!!
Providing excellence in Pediatric Dentistry is my goal and passion. It has been a lifelong dream to create this amazing office for you. Every detail has been well thought out with you in mind. I wanted to create a relaxing, safe, fun, interactive, educational experience for you and your child.
Reviews
Rating 5.0 out of 5 based on 118 reviews
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newest oldest highest lowestKristi Lavenduski
2 years ago
We had a great experience at Little Town Smiles. The nature inspired walls and decor, adorable waiting room with kids movies, books and tablets with games help put kids at ease. The staff and dentists were patient, thorough, and gentle. I loved how the hygienist explained every tool she used to my son before she used it. When we left, he said he loved it and wanted to have a dentist themed birthday party. I think we definitely found a winner. I highly recommend Little Town Smiles for your little ones.
Matt Scott
2 years ago
Good dentist but $389 for a basic cleaning and x-ray for a child that took 20 minutes seems way too much. If you have insurance it might be worth it but for a cash pay, this is just WAY too much compared to other pediatric dentists in the area.
Melissa Fitzpatrick
2 years ago
I took my son here this morning for his first dentist/annual appt. I loved this place and so did my son. The people here are on point when it comes to treating children especially toddlers. My son is very independent and wants to do everything by himself, the assistant and dentist were very detailed in explaining everything they were doing so my son was comfortable to allow them to do what they needed to clean his teeth. Definitely recommend this place to parents with young children.
mikan
2 years ago
Nice people and Clean place . I'm so glad I found Dr. Bui.
Angela C
2 years ago
Took my 4 yr old a few days ago for a visit because he was experiencing pain. They did x-rays, and cleaning all with 45 mins. So happy we chose to make the drive there. Everyone there was super nice and my son wasn't scared at all for his first ever experience.
Jaymie Vanmeter
2 years ago
Very happy with the service at Little Town Smiles. The Dentist and her staff are all very kind, explain all of the technical and medical information, are sensitive to the childs needs, and are thorough. They were inclusive and informed. From the moment you walk into the office the building the front desk clerk is warm and inviting, the office is clean and bright, it has a great feel for the kids and care givers! I am very pleased with my experience.
Kayla Blackwelder
2 years ago
Great experience with my two year olds first visit. Staff was friendly and patient and the dentist was informative. Definitely recommend.
Angela C
3 years ago
Took my 4 yr old a few days ago for a visit because he was experiencing pain. They did x-rays, and cleaning all with 45 mins. So happy we chose to make the drive there. Everyone there was super nice and my son wasn't scared at all for his first ever experience.
Melissa Fitzpatrick
3 years ago
I took my son here this morning for his first dentist/annual appt. I loved this place and so did my son. The people here are on point when it comes to treating children especially toddlers. My son is very independent and wants to do everything by himself, the assistant and dentist were very detailed in explaining everything they were doing so my son was comfortable to allow them to do what they needed to clean his teeth. Definitely recommend this place to parents with young children.
mikan
3 years ago
Nice people and Clean place . I'm so glad I found Dr. Bui.
Jaymie Vanmeter
3 years ago
Very happy with the service at Little Town Smiles. The Dentist and her staff are all very kind, explain all of the technical and medical information, are sensitive to the childs needs, and are thorough. They were inclusive and informed. From the moment you walk into the office the building the front desk clerk is warm and inviting, the office is clean and bright, it has a great feel for the kids and care givers! I am very pleased with my experience.
Thais Duncan
3 years ago
Absolutely LOVE this place. They're always so wonderful and caring and everything is immaculately clean. So happy we bring my daughter here.
Kayla Blackwelder
3 years ago
Great experience with my two year olds first visit. Staff was friendly and patient and the dentist was informative. Definitely recommend.
jacqueline reynolds
3 years ago
Our first visit - the staff & Doctor was amazing.
Aubrey George
3 years ago
Great experience, love the office
brittany brown
3 years ago
This was our first visit and the staff made the kids feel so welcome. Going to the dentist for the first time was making me nervous, but once we walked in I was at ease. The office is clean and so fun. The kids have already said they are ready to go back! So thank you for being so welcoming and friendly.
Jacki Reynolds
3 years ago
This was our first visit and we were treated amazing from the moment we called to the time at checkout....Thank you Little Town Smiles for your dedication and kindness to our families needs. See you soon!
Thais Duncan
3 years ago
Absolutely LOVE this place. They're always so wonderful and caring and everything is immaculately clean. So happy we bring my daughter here.
Erick Robertson
3 years ago
My son loves this place. He was so excited to get a silver crown lol. They took care of him very well and it only took 30min for them to do an extraction and a crown! Couldn't believe it! And my 5yr old didn't even cry! Glad we found this facility. We have 3 more kids that have to get their teeth fixed. So they will be caring for the whole family now
Jacki Reynolds
4 years ago
This was our first visit and we were treated amazing from the moment we called to the time at checkout....Thank you Little Town Smiles for your dedication and kindness to our families needs. See you soon!
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