Endodontics is our specialty and we are passionate about giving our patients the absolute best root canal they can receive. But heres a cool fact: All our doctors started their careers as General Dentists, doing fillings and crowns and providing overall dental care. Now, they wont be treating these other problems, thats for your family dentist. But teeth can be tricky and narrowing pain down often requires a comprehensive view of your problem. So, this means better overall care for you.
Dr. Jeffrey Hom fell in love with dentistry while volunteering at a dental clinic while earning his Bachelors degree in Biological Sciences at the University of California. He viewed dentistry as a profession where he could interact with people and make a genuine difference in their lives. Then he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Pacific School of Dentistry and practiced as a General Dentist for six years in Northern California. He moved to New York City in 2008 to earn his certificate in endodontics at the Lutheran Medical Center. This is where he met his future wife and business partner, Dr. Meredith Overstreet.
Since opening South Austin Microendodontics, Dr. Hom has garnered a reputation for providing compassionate care with superior results. He knows that those who come to him for care are oftentimes experiencing one of the most painful and stressful events of their lives. He says, We ask ourselves every day, Why are we all here? Get the patient out of pain. Its our philosophy and our whole team commits to it. We want everyone who walks through our doors to leave with a smile on their face. That is success to us.
Dr. Hom learned his strong work ethic from his father, a professional chef who worked long hours, but he is also committed to balance in his life. He loves being a dad to his growing family, and you can occasionally find him running around Lady Bird Lake for stress relief.
Dr. Meredith Overstreets joy and easy-going nature helps even the most nervous patient relax. She was one of four children raised by a dentist dad and strict Texas mama. Meredith was born near the banks of the Mississippi in New Orleans while dad was working at the Naval Hospital.
Dad wanted us all to be dentists, Dr. Overstreet will tell you, and when she started thinking about what she wanted to do with her life she decided dad was right. I was great at science and I wanted a profession where I could FIX something. I get to do that every day now!
Dr. Overstreet attended Texas State University and University of Texas Health Science Center Dental School in San Antonio and then moved to New York City and completed a one-year General Practice Residency at Lutheran Medical Center. She practiced as a General Dentist for three years before returning to school to get her Endodontic Specialty Training and thats where she met her future husband, Dr. Jeffrey Hom. Their son Alec was born in February of 2018 and joined his big brother Connor and big sister Brooklyn.
At South Austin Microendodontics, we provide evidence-based care that's rooted in the newest research. As part of her commitment to stay on the cutting edge as well as give back to her profession, Dr. Overstreet is a clinical adjunct faculty member for the graduate endodontic program at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
We built South Austin Microendodontics around a philosophy: Patients come to us in pain but leave smiling. Nothing comes above giving patients quality treatment while alleviating their fears. Dr. Vimal Chheda joined out team in August of 2016 and embodies our values. He graduated from Texas A&M University with his undergrad in 2002 and then attended University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio for dental school, graduating in 2006. After practicing general dentistry for eight years at his familys practice in Houston, Dr. Chheda returned to school to receive his certificate in endodontics in 2016 from the University of Alabama Birmingham. He realized that even though root canals can be one of the most stressful dental experiences, he could put himself in his patients shoes and provide the kind of compassionate care that he would want to receive.
Dr. Chheda was born in Texas and in 2016 he finally moved to Austin, fulfilling a goal he and his wife, Monalee, set for themselves in 2004. He likes to work hard and play hard and most of the play right now revolves around home. His family is growing, with a young daughter and boy/girl twins born in December 2017. Hes traveled extensively through mountain ranges in the U.S., England, France, and Italy but today with small children, family hikes around the Austin trails are where its at! Dr. Chheda enjoys laughing and joking around the office. The great camaraderie at South Austin Microendodontics is important because he says, We are dealing with people who are experiencing pain every day. Part of giving patients his best includes having fun.
Dr. Karla Sermeo Castillo moved to Austin in 2018 to join South Austin Microendodontics. She grew up in El Salvador as the oldest of three successful siblings. By the time she was in the 3rd grade, she knew she wanted to be a dentist but endodontics was not her first choice. My dad is a general dentist and he needed me to do root canals. I wasnt crazy about the idea but decided to dig in and I fell in love with endo! Now I cant imagine doing anything else.
Dr. Sermeo graduated dental school in El Salvador in 2006 where she learned English, and then attended an endodontic program in Mexico from 2007-2009. She practiced dentistry for four years before she and her husband moved to the United States in 2016 where she was attended the University of Pennsylvanias endodontic program. She graduated in 2018 and they decided to move to Texas. Dr. Sermeo appreciates the openness and diversity in Austin and wants to raise her children here, but she says of her home, I love that you can have breakfast in a picturesque town on the ocean and then visit the mountains for dinner. Salvadorians are warm, friendly, and always open to new people. She said the richness of different cultures drew her to Austin and makes her feel at home.
At South Austin Microendodontics, we use cutting edge technology to give our patients the best possible outcomes and she's excited to use these resources. The tech and the staff are fantastic. I am always open to research and learning new techniques.
Youll notice a trend when you read about our team. Each one represents our philosophy and commitment to you in their own exceptional way. Our staff who answer the phone, greet you, and listen to your questions understand that most of our patients are nervous when they first call. They are ready to answer your questions. Our dental assistants have your comfort in mind and are ready to adapt and accommodate to your individual needs. It is our priority to give you a superior root canal and leave South Austin Microendodontics smiling.
At South Austin Microendodontics, your comfort and care are why we are all here. Everyone shares this goal, and that philosophy drew Megan to our practice in 2012. She loved the dentist growing up and has worked hard to grow knowledgeably in all aspects of the dental field to work in a compassionate environment. She keeps everything running smoothly and says, I like to get things done. If theres a better way to do it, I want to find it! Megan is all about organization and structure and will wear any hat that needs put on for the day. In her time off, she plays tennis and works on DIYs around the house.
When you have questions about how your dental benefits work, Lauren is the person who gets the answers. She comes to us with over 16 years in the medical field and has taken to the dental world seamlessly. Verifying benefits and calculating co-pays can be tedious and thankless but Laurens fun personality and easy laughter are the perfect balance to our front office team. She has a high schooler and a toddler at home so a sense of humor is pretty much a necessity. She stays busy with her family watching high school sports, football with friends, and family game night. And after staying on hold with insurance companies every day, Lauren earns her glass of wine at night!
Kelly was waitressing when a coworker suggested, Youre great with people and you know how to move quick. You would make a great dental assistant. Were glad she took the advice! She joined us in 2013 and her warm, friendly, and fun personality has been comforting anxious patients ever since. Kelly is hands-on, intuitive, and adapts to her patients individual needs. When people ask her what its like to work here she says, I commute an hour every day from Bastrop. If I didnt respect these doctors and trust them completely, I couldnt work here. Kelly loves being outdoors and is the office green thumb. She will also crush most people on the golf course!
When Ambers son was a year old, she took him to the dentist, scared and uncertain. A dental assistant answered her questions, calmed her fears, and in that one visit inspired her to become a dental assistant. We have been thrilled to have her on our team since 2014. Amber says people can get freaked out if they think they might get blind-sided. I want to explain everything so they know exactly whats happening. It calms them down. Amber has two children and hangs out at the park with them and also watches as many movies as she can. Ask her for recommendations and tell her what movie is your favorite!