07/18/2022
Friends of Franz Podcast S1 E26: Emotional Dentistry with Dr. Tate Masunaga and Dr. Kevin Thanh Nguyen
When I think of the dentist, all I can remember is my countless visits to the office as a child for my endless cavities and root canals. I feel like I can still feel every needle-pinch of anesthesia, the pressure of the drill, and the tantalizing ache of piercing my pulp. That said, I developed a fear of dentists growing up. I only recently realized the beauty behind dental care and the art behind individual practitioners' practice. Though this fear of dentists is a common sentiment amongst the general population, the field also brings another overpowering feeling: hope. Missing teeth, crooked alignment, discolorations...these are some presentations that can undoubtedly cloud someone's self-confidence. Thankfully, we have superheroes of the teeth who give others a reason to smile again.
In this episode, we have two of these tooth fairies to speak to us about their wonder-working powers: Dr. Tate Masunaga and Dr. Kevin Thanh Nguyen. Receiving his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Oregon & Health Sciences University in 2017, Dr. Masunaga now practices as a general dentist in Seattle, Washington. On the other hand, Dr. Nguyen also received his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the Western University of Health Sciences in 2020 and is now practicing in Huntington Beach, California.
What are the risks of an unfilled cavity? Does charcoal toothpaste actually work? Are yellow and stained teeth normal? How necessary is flossing? Are bleeding gums of concern? Do at-home teeth whitening strips actually work? And a controversial question that took over TikTok...can dentists really tell if someone has done..."the deed"? 👀 So much misinformation and myths also envelop the field of teeth of oral hygiene, and we have not just one but two experts to tackle each one. The molar, the merrier. 🦷🙈
Tate Masunaga, DMD
BS: University of Hawaii at Manoa (2013) - Biology
DMD: Oregon & Health Sciences University (2017) - Kermit F. Knudtzon DESMOS Award
Advanced Education in General Dentistry: Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, New York University Langone (2018)
General Practice Dentist: Seattle, WA (since 2017)
Memberships: American Dental Association (ADA)
Kevin Thanh Nguyen, DMD
BS: UCLA (2016)
DMD: Western University of Health Sciences (2020)
General Practice Dentist: Huntington Beach, CA (since 2020)
Memberships: American Dental Association (ADA)