Meet Dr. Soon

​HA HA, SOME CALL ME “OLD SCHOOL.”  I CALL IT WISDOM.  WISDOM IS IN SHORT SUPPLY.  MY GRANDPARENTS THOUGHT AND MODELED WISDOM, LOVE, INTEGRITY, AND PERSISTENCE IN HONOLULU.  I WAS FORTUNATE TO ATTEND THE EPISCOPAL COLLEGE PREP SCHOOL, IOLANI, FROM K TO 12.  MY FIVE BROTHERS AND I RECEIVED KINDNESS THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS.  I DID SCHOLARSHIP WORK, CAFETERIA, CLEANING OFF STAINLESS STEEL LUNCH TRAYS AND PLACING THEM INTO THE DISHWASHER, WORKING IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, WORKING THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY.  THERE IS NO SHAME IN WORKING.   MUFI HANNEMANN, FORMER MAYOR OF HONOLULU, AND FIRST SAMOAN TO ATTEND HARVARD AND GUY KAWASAKI, FORMER APPLE GURU, WERE TWO OF MY MANY LIVELY CLASSMATES.  I ALSO WORKED TWO SUMMERS AT DOLE PINEAPPLE FACTORY, ONE OF THOUSANDS WORKING, SOMETIMES HOT, SOMETIMES MONOTONOUS, 12-HOUR SHIFTS. LOOKING BACK, THAT GIVE ME INSPIRATION TO AIM HIGHER.

WHILE ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, I WORKED TWO SUMMERS FOR A HONOLULU MOVING COMPANY.  HARD WORK.  I WAS THE “RUNT”, BUT I WAS ABLE TO “SEE” THE DIVISION OF THE WORKFORCE.  THERE WERE 4 COLLEGES STUDENTS.  THERE WERE THE ALCOHOL DRINKERS.  THE THIRD GROUP WERE THE POT SMOKERS.  THE GROUPS DID NOT MIX AFTER WORK.     I ALSO SERVED AS A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR A YEAR AT THE CHANCELLORS ACADEMIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WHERE THE DEANS OF THE UNIVERSITY MET WITH THE CHANCELLOR TO WORK ON THE UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION.  SOMETIMES THE CONVERSATIONS WERE VERY HEATED, VERY POINTED BETWEEN THE DEANS AND THEIR COLLEAGUES.  THERE WAS POWER.  THERE WAS MONEY AT STAKE.  I SAW THE BRILLIANCE AND KINDNESS OF PATRICIA SAIKI AT WORK.  EVENTUALLY, SHE BECAME A US REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS FOR HAWAII.
 
TODAY SOME PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS DO NOT SEE THE WISDOM OF CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN GAINING AN EDUCATION WORKING A JOB.  THEY TREAT THEIR CHILDREN LIKE “PETS.”

DENTISTS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR BUYING GADGETS.  MANY TIMES, THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE GADGETS.  I THINK IT IS VERY PRIMAL TO THOSE IN THE DENTAL FIELD.  THEY BELIEVE, THE NEW EXPENSIVE GADGETS WILL SAVE THEM, TURN THEM INTO THE SUPERIOR DENTIST, THEY ARE DRIVEN TO BELIEVE.   BEAUTIFUL, HANDSOME, CHARMING REPS APPEAL TO YOUR EGO, YOUR PRIMAL DESIRE TO BE THE SUPERIOR DENTIST.  THEY USE ALL THEIR WEAPONS TO THE SEAL THE DEAL, KIND OF LIKE WORKING THE “JUNKIE”.  THE PROBLEM IS THERE ARE 10’S OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF GADGETS IN A DENTIST’S HISTORY- IN THEIR LABS, GARAGES, AND/OR THROWN AWAY.  IT RAISES THE PRESSURE TO “SELL” MORE.  ALSO, THE MOUTH IS A VERY UNFORGIVING ENVIRONMENT.  AND, WHEN THESE REPAIRS FAIL.  AND THEY EVENTUALLY WILL.  THE “FIX” IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT AND COSTLY.
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OLD SCHOOL ME, I USED NEW TECHNOLOGY, JUDICIOUSLY.  THE DENTAL SPECIALISTS, THE DENTAL LABS, I USE HAVE THE “STATE OF THE ART” TECHNOLOGY GADGET, SO I DON’T HAVE TO DUPLICATE IT.  BESIDES NORMAL STERILIZATIONS AND DISINFECTANT PROTOCOL, I USE THE GAINED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO DO TOP NOTCH DENTISTRY.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, PRECISE, AND PORCELAIN WORKING IS DONE OFFSITE AT SUPERIOR DENTAL LABS IN THE HANDS OF EXPERT/ TALENTED LAB TECHNICIANS, WHERE I CAN CONNECT AND POST WITH. IT IS NOT DONE IN THE DENTAL OFFICE WITH MACHINES.

HA, HA, “OLD SCHOOL”? I’LL TAKE THAT EVERYDAY!​