Bic Chiem, DDS

Dentist

As far back as I can remember, I have had an obsession with smiles. It would be the first, and sometimes the only aspect I would notice about someone. Perhaps it was my own teeth that created this obsession: crooked, yellow, and full of cavities. A constant hand to cover my smile, two hands to cover my mouth when I laughed, and a tight-lipped, artificial smile in school portraits; these were all part of my subconscious behaviors to hide my teeth from others.

Three years in braces finally gave me a smile I wasn’t ashamed of. Those three years also perpetuated my obsession with teeth. I worked diligently and passionately as a dental assistant, then as a dental lab technician, and finally as a dental student at the UCSF School of Dentistry. Upon graduation, I was ecstatic to be the recipient of Student Award of Merit from the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (AAED) for “Outstanding Achievement in the Pursuit of Excellence in the Undergraduate Study of Esthetic Dentistry”.

During the past six years, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside the Cosmetic Guru, Dr. Jerry Bellen, who is one of few AACD accredited members in the Bay Area (and in the world!). I had the opportunity to be involved in cases that few dentists in my peer group can even imagine working on. I learned A LOT from him! This invaluable experience confirms my strong sense of how dentistry should be done. In addition, I’ve traveled the country to take continuing education classes to remain on the cutting edge of dental trends and practices.

To me, dentistry should be both comprehensive and natural. Comprehensive means looking at your mouth as a dynamic system between the teeth, bone, joints, and muscles. Natural means that all restorations should mimic nature, as if the tooth has never been touched. I follow these two words closely because it means working with each and every individual’s unique situation to create a customized plan for dental (and general) health, while maximizing aesthetics.

Being behind the drill has always motivated me to produce beautiful natural restorations, but what really inspire me are the subtle behavioral changes I see in my patients as a result of these restorations. It could be anything from a simple glow to laughing with abandon and as drastic as a wardrobe change due to renewed self-confidence. Such changes bring a smile to my spirit. I just love it!

Aside from teeth, I enjoy hiking, snowboarding, and traveling! Locally, I like to find hidden spots and secret places for food and anything else interesting.

Sincerely
Bic Chiem DDS