A Master in the Art of Living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both.

I have been meaning to write this for a long time and for my existing patients you probably already know this about me. Some of these comments are blatant and might be offensive to my colleagues, but please keep in mind that I am generalizing and this is merely my opinion based on 25 years of dental practice.

I believe in treating all patients the way I would want to be treated. I have your dental health at heart. I practice honestly and abide by the Hippocratic Oath of do no harm. I am only interested in doing what is dentally needed to the best of my ability. I have seen the so called famous dentist to the stars dentistry and its no better. I will merely inform you of the procedures I feel you need in order to maintain optimum oral health and its your decision whether to proceed.

I consider myself a conservative dentist with a philosophy on early intervention of dental work that is needed. Early intervention allows the dentist to conserve tooth structure. Preservation of tooth structure is the key to keeping your teeth for a long time. I believe the dentist of the future will be one that does less and not more. When I see a patient who has been seeing a dentist every 6 months and they have almost every tooth capped (crowned), I regard this as a failure.

I dont recommend the removal of amalgam fillings unless it is absolutely necessary. To date, there is no material available which has such long term success as amalgam. I believe dentists who recommend the unnecessary removal are providing a disservice to their patients. These alternative white fillings wear and leak more than amalgam fillings and should not be used to replace very large silver fillings especially in the back teeth. There are other more durable materials available but these as expected are not covered by most insurance companies.

I will only recommend what you truly need to have done and guarantee my highest standards. If you are looking for a dental bargain or are leaving your dentist you trust to find one that will save you a few dollars, please look elsewhere.

Dr. Kian Kar received his dental degree from the University of Southern California (USC) in 1995. He completed a fellowship in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry in 1996. He received a certificate in Periodontology after completing a three-year post-graduate training program in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry from USC in 1999 and he received a Master of Science degree in Craniofacial Biology from his research on the Immunology of periodontal disease in 2000. He has published his research in peer-reviewed journals and presented his findings in scientific meetings (American Academy of Periodontology, California Society of Periodontists, and the International Association of Dental Research). He is the recipient of California Society of Periodontology research Award in 1997, American Academy of Periodontology Award for Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring in Periodontics in 2013 and USC Mellon Mentorship Award in 2013. He has served as an editor for Journal of Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research, Journal of Periodontology, Journal of Oral Implantology and as a guest editor for Journal of California Dental Association.

Dr. Kar is serving as Interim program Director and the Clinical Director of Advanced Periodontology Program at Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. He is a full time faculty member teaching post-doctoral and pre-doctoral dental students in Clinical Periodontology and Implant Dentistry. He is Board Certified of the American Board of Periodontology and an active member of the American Academy of Periodontology, Academy of Osseointegration, American Dental Association, California Dental Association, Orange County Dental Society, and California Society of Periodontists. He has been in specialty practice since 1999 and maintains a part time practice limited to Periodontics and Dental Implant Surgery in Mission Viejo, CA and Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC Faculty Practice.

Dr. Woo, a board-certified Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon. Dr. Woo is both a licensed physician and a dental specialist. He currently holds the volunteering teaching position as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the LAC/USC Medical Center in Los Angeles.

His educational background is very diverse. His formative years were spent under the British school system in Hong Kong. This was followed by an undergraduate and graduate education in Canada. Dr. Woo then graduated from the University of Southern California School of Dentistry as the class valedictorian in 2002 with multiple awards and honors. He also completed his medical training from the University of Southern California School of Medicine in 2005. He then entered a General Surgery internship at the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, CA, and a full residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Southern California.

Dr. Woo was trained and served as the Chief resident at the Los Angeles County/ University of Southern California Medical Center, one of the worlds largest and busiest trauma centers. This residency allowed Dr. Woo to train extensively and intensely in all aspects of oral and facial surgery where he performed over 1300 documented major and minor procedures with board-certified Oral surgeons, Craniofacial surgeons, Otolaryngologists (ENT surgeons) and Plastic surgeons.

Dr. Woos unique background and training has allowed him to integrate ideas and techniques from various surgical disciplines. Dr. Woo has published and lectured on various topics in dental implant surgery, facial reconstructive surgery and facial cosmetic surgery. He is dedicated to providing his patients with the newest technology and the highest quality of care. Dr. Woo is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Dental Society of Anesthesia, a member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Medical Association and the American Dental Association.

All of our hygienists are outstanding and your oral health is their priority. Dr. Suzman is proud to have Roxanne, Staci and Rachael working together as a team to ensure we maintain an optimum level of care. The extensive research directly linking poor oral health and systemic disease is overwhelming. By attending regular continuing educational courses allows our hygienists to provide you with the latest periodontal(gum) therapies to minimize these risks.

Rachael is a proud graduate of Cerritos College Dental Hygiene Program. She is originally from England but has spent more than half her life living here in Southern California. Rachaels aspiration to become a dental hygienist began in high school while taking a Regional Occupational Program class for dental assisting. She was a dental assistant for 7 years prior to beginning her dental hygiene career and obtained her Registered Dental Assisting license during that time. After working some time as a dental assistant, she knew through her passion for dentistry and patient care that she wanted to further her career as a dental hygienist. Rachael graduated with highest honors and highly believes in lifetime learning through continuing education. She is very passionate about her career and educating patients with a caring and gentle touch. Not only does Rachael love dental hygiene, but she also enjoys CrossFit, being physically active and living a healthy lifestyle.

Roxanne graduated from West Los Angeles College in 1985. She later attended the U.C.L.A. dental clinic and the V.A. Wadsworth Hospital to master her profession. Roxanne has had the pleasure of working with Dr. Suzman for over ten years. She feels very passionate about treating patients with care and compassion. She uses conservative approaches such as placing Arestin antibacterial medicine for periodontal patients and recommending homecare products to help achieve optimal dental health. Roxanne continually attends seminars to keep up to date with the latest advancements in dental hygiene. In her spare time, Roxanne enjoys traveling and raising her two teenagers. She looks forward to treating patients at Stonecreek Dentistry with personal care and is currently available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Staci graduated from Pasadena City College with an Associate of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene, and has been a Registered Dental Hygienist since 2005. As an active member of the American Dental Hygiene Association, Staci actively furthers her education by attending the latest seminars in periodontal therapy. Stacis approach is simple: To treat with compassion and a gentle touch while proactively achieving optimal dental health. She enjoys treating a wide variety of patients with specialized dental needs such as pediatrics, geriatrics, special needs patients, and those who suffer from dental anxiety. Staci has had the pleasure of working with Dr. Suzman since 2005 and plans on practicing as a clinician for many years to come. In her spare time, Staci enjoys boating and outdoor sports with her family and friends. She has recently taken up running and is looking forward to completing her first marathon.Staci works on Monday and Wednesday.

Hello, my name is Priscilla and Im very proud and honored to be a part of such an amazing team. Im originally from South Africa, but Ive made Southern California my home for the past 17 years. My passion for dentistry started over 12 years ago as a dental assistant. I continued my education and graduated in 2008 as class valedictorian from Cerritos College with highest honors and received the Dental Hygiene Departmental award. I deeply care about every patient, and believe in practicing dental hygiene according to current evidence, providing the highest standard of care for all my patients. When Im not busy helping patients improve their smiles, Im raising my beautiful 4 year old son. I enjoy traveling, doing all kinds of sports, and spending time with family and friends. Im available Mondays and Thursdays.