What inspired you to become part of the dental profession?
I have always been a very artistic person and good with my hands. It was just one of those things that I wanted to do. I thought about a lot of things, including medicine. I love working with people. I am a people-oriented person, and it just led me in the direction of dentistry. It was a thought process for me. What can I do where computers won't take over? Where will I not become obsolete? Back then I was no way near academically inclined to consider a profession like dentistry. So to make sure I liked dentistry I asked a local dentist if I could clean his office so I could observe dentistry. He let me observe. I took the courses and studied hard to be a dentist. It was a pretty rough road before I got here.

How long have you been involved in the profession?
I have been in the profession for 14 years. I was first introduced to it 25 years ago when I observed a dentist. I also worked in a public health clinic volunteering as a youth. I was trained as a dental assistant and worked for several years before studying to be a dentist in college. At that point I knew what I wanted to do. I realized that you didn't have to be a genius to be a dentist. If you stay focused, set priorities, sacrifice partying and put in the time while in school, you could do well.

I went to the University of Washington for undergraduate and dental school. At first I had my eyes set on assisting and then dental hygiene. Then after interacting with many dentists, I realized that they were "normal" people, and I had just as much common sense. I knew a lot about life -- one of those jacks of all trade but master of none. That motivated me into thinking that maybe I could go into dentistry. After dental school I trained for one year in a hospital dentistry residency at the University of Washington, and then I practiced for one year in a community clinic. I applied to an orthodontics program and continued study for two more years at Howard University.

What is your specialty, and how did you get there?
Another mentor of mine was an oral surgeon. He took a special interest in me. He felt I would be a good oral surgeon. I realized that orthodontics was what I wanted to do. I was good with my hands and the wire bending. General dentistry is a necessity, and I really could have been content practicing it. But there is a pain stigma associated with dentists. In orthodontics, most of the time it's elective and people want to be there. They are happy, not tense or stressed out. Actually, a lot of people fall asleep in the chair when I'm working on them because they are so comfortable.

I deal with both adults and children, predominately kids. However, over the years I have treated more and more adults. My oldest patient is a young 70-year-old. I have several patients in their 60s who have come to get their teeth straightened. People are getting older and keeping their teeth longer.

Most people come in for cosmetic reasons. But as an orthodontist, I want to be sure that the upper and lower jaw work together in a functional way. When there's clicking, popping and locking with the jaws it can be painful. There are many problems people can have with their jaws, such as TMD or muscle aches, which can be caused by clenching or grinding teeth at night or stress.

What do you like best about working in the field?
What I like most is the gratitude of transforming people's smiles. You really get to see the appreciation. It's really a good feeling. Sometimes it's rough in the middle when they are tired of their braces. They are excited when they are first put on, but it gets old quick. I hear almost everyday: "When am I getting my braces off?" I always tell my patients: "It's not how fast I can do it. It's how good I can do it." Braces can be on from six months to six years, depending on the situation.

How do you address health care disparities among minority populations within your profession?
I grew up very poor and aware of disparities. One of my motivations was to provide and assist people in getting health care. There are many people who come in and can't afford my services. I have made exceptions to treat people who need my care at no charge. But if you make it too easy, then it's not appreciated or taken for granted. It's important to give patients resource material and talk to them. We provide a list of free or minimal cost health care clinics in the Seattle area.

One of the things that we have to do is teach them the priorities with oral health. They have to get their dental hygiene under control before I will even think about putting on braces.

I am involved with groups such as the Washington State Association of Black Health Care Professionals, which is a group of care providers of all medical professions who share ideas and information and host health fairs. I also am involved with the National Dental Association, and often encourage patients and students to fill the voids we have in our profession.

What, if any, barriers or challenges have you personally had to overcome?
Early on in life I had personal obstacles that I had to overcome growing up in Dallas, Texas. I was raised by a single-parent grandmother. As a child I never knew my father, and my mother was a drug addict. It was after graduating from high school that I realized how far behind academically I was. When I was 19 years old, both my grandmother and my mother died three months apart. I moved to Seattle and continued raising my two younger brothers. At 19 years old, I was living in my own apartment with my younger brothers, as I attended college trying to catch up academically. It was tough trying to raise teenagers and go to college. I had to quit college and work as a dental assistant full time so I could pay the bills. I stayed focused, set my priorities and believed in myself. My wife, Dr. Seok Bee Lim, a Harvard dental graduate, also inspired and supported me through my orthodontic education.

What are the greatest challenges within the profession?
We have to continue to teach the priorities of health care. A lot of people have a perception of health care, but they are focused on one thing. They don't realize it's the whole body. It's not just teeth or eyes. It's overall health issues. I talk people out of braces sometimes because they neglected their dental health. They ask me to put braces on teeth with big holes in them. People need to be more health conscious.

What are your proudest accomplishments in your profession? In your life?
The opportunity to go to Howard University for my orthodontics training after completing my undergraduate and dental school studies at a predominately white school. I had the chance to meet some of the brightest people at Howard; some who had off-the-scale intelligence. When I finished my orthodontic studies and moved back to Seattle it was awesome to participate in study groups where I had the chance to sit across from other orthodontists, and realize that I could talk about principles and theory knowing just as much or more than my colleagues. It was then that I knew I had a good education.

Personally, to have reached this point in my life is an accomplishment. To have believed in myself and to have the confidence to believe in what you do and not be intimidated.

Who is/are your role model(s) or mentor(s)?
I have had both professional and personal role models, such as my aunt in Seattle, a YMCA program director and a friend who took me under her wing when I was just a teenager. Those are people in life who really make a big difference.

Professionally my mentors are Dr. Richard Ferguson and Dr. Wonzel Mobley, who let me observe their practices; Dr. Robert Flennaugh, who was the first African American to graduate from the University of Washington Dental School; Dr. Michael B. Washington, for trusting and believing in my skills; and the orthodontics professors at Howard University, Dr. Charles Sanders and Dr. Donald Russell. And of course my wife, Dr. Seok Bee Lim, without whom I probably would not be where I am today.

What are your plans for the future?
I'd like to be more active in organized dentistry and serve on more committees, promote and help the dental profession, become more involved in community activities. I am at the peak of my practice growth, and it takes a lot of time and energy. I have been trying to refocus my energy to bring in other associates so I can contribute my knowledge and insight into other areas.

What words of wisdom do you have for students just graduating?
Think outside of the box. Look at the nontraditional options for practice. There are a lot of new ways of practicing. Look at giving back in community clinics. Balance it out with private practice.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like most sports, skiing, arts, music, theater and dance. My number one interest is music in all forms. Before I got into dentistry I had the chance to work in music producing and promoting for budding musicians. It helped me pay a part of the way through college.