The Alimond Show
Welcome to The Alimond Show --join us as we share our entrepreneurial guests' stories, uncover their secrets to success, and explore the unique paths they've taken to build thriving businesses in our community.
In each episode, our host, Aliyah Dastour, sits down with a diverse group of local business owners, from the corner cafe to the boutique shop, from tech startups to family-run enterprises. We peel back the curtain to reveal the trials, triumphs, and transformational moments that have shaped their entrepreneurial journey.
Discover the passion, perseverance, and innovative thinking that fuels these businesses, as well as the challenges they've overcome along the way. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking inspiration or simply a curious listener interested in the stories behind your favorite local spots, The Alimond Show has something for everyone.
Our guests share their experiences, insights, and valuable advice that can empower you to turn your own dreams into reality. We discuss topics like marketing strategies, customer relationships, community engagement, and much more, offering practical takeaways you can apply to your own business or career.
Join us every week as we celebrate the unsung heroes of our local business community and explore the vibrant tapestry of entrepreneurship in our area. Tune in to The Alimond Show and get ready to be inspired, informed, and motivated to support and nurture the businesses that make our community thrive.
Subscribe now and become a part of our growing community of business enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. Stay connected with us on social media, and don't forget to leave a review if you enjoy our show. Let's celebrate the spirit of local business together on The Alimond Show.
The Alimond Show
Dr. Dong-Soo Hong - Crafting Perfect Smiles: Inside the World of Prosthodontics
The fascinating world of prosthodontics takes center stage as we welcome Dr. Dong Soo Hong, who unveils the mysteries behind this dental specialty focused on complex restorations. With warmth and clarity, Dr. Hong explains how prosthodontists undergo three additional years of specialized training beyond dental school, preparing them to tackle challenging cases from full mouth reconstructions to intricate cosmetic procedures.
Dr. Hong's personal journey shines throughout our conversation - from his middle school aspirations of treating patients to his transformative dental mission trips in Haiti. These humanitarian experiences profoundly shaped his perspective, expanding his worldview and igniting his passion for providing care to those in need. His eyes light up describing the moment everything "exploded" within him, cementing his commitment to dentistry as both profession and calling.
Technology emerges as a powerful theme as Dr. Hong details dentistry's digital revolution. Gone are the days of uncomfortable physical impressions that made patients gag; now, sleek digital scanners quickly capture the necessary information without discomfort. We explore surprising applications like therapeutic Botox for TMJ pain and debunk common myths about dental implants. Dr. Hong candidly shares the challenges of practice ownership, including unexpected revelations about his own personality and the complexities of administrative work. His vision for the future focuses on growing his Reston practice while maintaining his dedication to specialized care. If you've ever wondered what happens at "the last stop" in dental treatment or been curious about advances in dental technology, this episode delivers illuminating insights from the frontlines of modern dentistry.
Subscribe to our podcast for more conversations with healthcare entrepreneurs who are transforming patient care through innovation and compassion.
So my name is Dr Dong Soo Hong. I'm a prosthodontist. I started my practice in Weston which is called DH Dental and Prosthodontics.
Speaker 2:Okay, beautiful. So I would like to ask you what is prosthodontics? For those of us who don't know, how would you explain prosthodontics and what distinguishes it from general dentistry?
Speaker 1:and what distinguishes it from general dentistry? Yeah, basically the post-dontics. We are specialized in all kinds of restorations. After dental school we go into specialty program which is about three years on the program, and then we only look at all kinds of restorations. Mainly we deal with the full mouth reconstruction, mainly we deal with the full mouth reconstruction. So there's a lot of complicated cases where we have to work with all kinds of specialties together to build it back.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and I'm going to mention some of those examples just so people know, because I know a lot of people. Some people have not gone to a dentist, let alone they don't know, probably, what a prostate dentist is. So it's dental implants, crowns, bridges, veneers, full and partial for dentures, full mouth reconstruction, cosmetic dental procedures and treatment of complex facial and jaw issues. Now you wanted to be a dentist. Tell me what made you decide to go specifically into this path with the additional three years of education.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I would say when I was in middle school I always wanted to treat patients and I didn't know what to do. So I did all kinds of volunteers. I went to hospital, I went to local clinics to do all kinds of volunteers in medicine and also in dentistry. And by the time when I was in college year, third year, I was introduced to local clinic to do the volunteering for dentist clinic. So I went there and I liked it. At the moment I was volunteering, I was helping the doctor, I was like like wow, this fits me, like I like to play with my hands, it's just perfect for me. So I applied, I, I went through that, I went through all kinds of the, all the, the application process and prepare all the, the tests, exams, everything, and then everything just went smoothly and I was able to get into dental school.
Speaker 2:That is awesome. No congratulations, because that's not an easy thing to do. So, plus the additional stuff, kudos to you. And now talk to me about your mission trips. You've participated in mission trips to Haiti, kenya, south Africa. How have these experiences influenced your perspective on dental care and patient relationships?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I went to Haiti for dental mission trip. I was in third year in dental school. We were starting to see patients during that time, so I wanted to have more experience and I always want to help people and I'm a Christian too, so I go to a lot of the mission trips. So, um, there was the when I was in dental school. That was my first um the I'll say um dental mission trip. So when I went there, it just opened up my eyes. Like like back then, I only like I was. I felt like I was living in a well Like nothing. It was just a small world. But when I went there, it was like I would say, this world is much bigger than I expected.
Speaker 2:Yeah right.
Speaker 1:There's a lot of needs of the healthcare. Yeah, so, especially in third countries, there's a lot of need of the health cares. And when I went there, um, I'll say like like from nine to five, I did all all the the dental work there, like extractions and mostly cleanings, and then by the time I get home like my hands were like up, oh my God. But it was rewarding, I loved it, so that excited me more. When I came back, I would say my passion grew, it exploded. At that time, Absolutely.
Speaker 1:From then on, I just wanted to provide the health care to people who need it Absolutely.
Speaker 2:That really motivated me and I'm sure that it was just eye-opening in general, just seeing like how lucky that we are and the fact that you were able to give your services to those in need incredible, yeah, yeah. I want to ask you about your team and how many people do you have on board with you and how did you find the right people to fit in your office?
Speaker 1:yeah, I always I was like heard from my colleagues that it's very difficult to find the right person, but I was very lucky. Um, I had a lot of interviews and I found two person. Um one is jenna and she's a front desk receptionist. Um also an assistant. Her name is Nashiba. Both of them came to my office and they they're working very hard. They're very honest. I love to work with them. I feel like they've been working with me for a long time. I don't know what it was.
Speaker 2:It's just when you find the right people it's just that connection, and sometimes that's not an easy thing to find. I would like to ask you about emerging trends from your industry or technologies. Prostodontics are you most excited about.
Speaker 1:I'll say, right now, the dentistry is going all digital now. Yeah, so it's, it's fun right now. It's um, it's changing very, very fast. Um, because of its digital just like when you buy computers it doesn't last long no in like years, you have to buy a new computer.
Speaker 2:Upgrade yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just like dental dentistry. Now the digital everything is improving the scanners, the milling machine 3D printing. Yes, 3d printing, everything is just improving so quickly. So that's where I'm trying to go to. So that's where I'm trying to go to. So before we used to take physical impressions, where some people gag because of the material.
Speaker 2:You have the taste.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it was very difficult, but nowadays, because of just the scanner, it's just like scanning with the small wand, so it's very easy for patients and it's for us too. And everything, the all the data goes to directly, it goes to the lab and they fabricate all stuff there. So everything becomes much more easy.
Speaker 2:We've come such a long way. That's insane, Like the fact. Like how do you even like scan it and then send it and you make it like I just trust the process, but that's crazy to me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I just trust the process, but that's crazy to me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then, as far as marketing and social media go, tell me what are you implementing for your business. Are you an avid social media user? Do you go to maybe network events? How are you getting the word out there?
Speaker 1:Right now I'm trying Like I would say I'm trying everything that I can do. Right now I'm working with a marketing company where they take care of all the social medias Facebook, instagram and also we work on the Google ad too. I went through all kinds of—I tried to apply all the community events so I can be there to promote my office too. To apply all the community events so I can be there to promote my office too. And also I went to all the general dentists around my area Stirling, leesburg, reston, everything around that area so I met all the GPs and the general dentists to promote myself too.
Speaker 2:That's awesome, yeah, and I'm sure it's good to have that community around you and have that network. When you started your practice, how did you decide what location that you wanted to, I guess, started at?
Speaker 1:I would say I wanted to buy existing office because, that would been much easier for me to have all the clientele and everything. But then after COVID the marketing has shifted so there was no existing office that was selling. So I had the realtor who specifically deal with the healthcare, the medical offices. He's Brandon Brandon. He helped me out to look for places. So I went through all the locations in this Northern Virginia area oh, it's big.
Speaker 1:I think I've been looking for like 6 months to try to find a place. And then there was this building in Reston. It just came to me when I went there everything like I guess. And this building in Reston, it just came to me when I went there everything I guess. It was just like when I went to dental school. Everything was smooth, I went there, it was bright, it was very nice, so I loved it. And then the building owner was very nice too. They were able to help me with all the process to get the building so that's how I found the place.
Speaker 1:That's how I found it in reston right and also it's very close to my house too perfect it's like it's like 10 minutes, yeah, oh that's the dream, because you know the traffic here.
Speaker 2:People like 45 minutes going and then coming back, or sometimes even more on a good on a bad day actually.
Speaker 2:Um, that's incredible. I'm glad that you were able to find your ideal location, because I know some people are just like, oh, it's oversaturated here, maybe I need to see if I can open a business over here. So that's great. You found like the sweet spot, a good commute for your house, but also like the perfect building for you. Is there anything that I have not touched on that perhaps you want to share about yourself that you would like to get out there for your audience to know about you, whether it's about your business, personally, anything at all?
Speaker 1:I would say, since I'm a prosthodontist, if anything, I would say we call ourselves the last stop. So if something cannot be solved, something cannot be, then you got. Anyone can always come to me and then we can help. I can help you out to try to bring back the smile. Um, also, I deal with a lot of tmd cases, so anyone who has a jaw pain. Um, I also deal with the, the cosmetics, so, um, so veneers and other stuff to bring the, bring back the smile. So I don't like wide spectrum of dentistry so at this point. So, yeah, so if, if you need any dental work, so let us know, hit you up?
Speaker 2:yeah, and I've also noticed there's been like a trend maybe sometimes that some dental offices offer maybe Botox.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:Can you maybe elaborate or maybe explain how maybe that might possibly help? Or is in relation with the teeth, or is it purely cosmetic?
Speaker 1:I'll say it's both. Yeah, it's both, but for myself I'm using Botox just purely for therapy. So patients who have severe TMJ pain, we tend to use the Botox to relieve all the contraction of muscles. That way it reduces the pressure on the TMJ, the joints. So, yeah, that way we can relieve the pain.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's incredible. I always thought like, oh, it's just for wrinkles. I'm like, what does that have to do with dental stuff? So okay, now it's making a little bit more sense for me. What's a common myth about dental implants that you would like to maybe bring awareness to, or debunk?
Speaker 1:I'll say the dental implants. Nowadays it has improved a lot, so there's no need to worry about failing implants. I would say you're controlled. If you have any medical histories, as long as it's controlled, then you should be fine. Nowadays the dental implant technology has improved, so the treatment is much better. So the success rate has gone up.
Speaker 2:And what's the recovery process like? Has that changed? Because I know some second takes a little bit of time to recover.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the recovery time is usually about after you place the implant. It takes about six months to a year to finish roughly. Sometimes you need to have a lot of bone graft. That takes longer. But if you don't need a bone graft then yeah it should be shorter.
Speaker 2:Okay, cool. And then, when you started your practice, did you ever think that you would be your own business owner? Was that always the plan? Or did you maybe in the beginning think that you would join somebody's team? Or was always the goal to be your own entrepreneur?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I always wanted to be the owner of the practice. It's because I have I would say I have more freedom. Yeah, when you work under somebody, there's limitations what you can do, but when I'm the owner, then I have my I would say I have my authority to do anything that I want to do Because I've been working as an associate for more than 10 years.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 1:Sometimes it was good, sometimes it wasn't. There's a lot of limitations that I had to go through, so I always wanted to open my own practice so that I can do post-ontic works.
Speaker 2:Very nice so as being a business owner and finally having your own practice so that I can do post-antique works. Very nice, so as being a business owner and finally having your own practice. Is there anything that you learned about yourself that you didn't know along the journey?
Speaker 1:I would say, being the practice owner, I learned a lot. Actually, it's been only a year.
Speaker 2:Share some with me. Me I want to know yeah, I'll say.
Speaker 1:I found myself that I'm not a very social person oh, my goodness, you don't seem like that at all.
Speaker 1:You seem so like extroverted I thought I, I thought I was okay, but yeah, I'm not. So I had. I'm not very aggressive compared to other people, other colleagues, so I felt like my marketing skill is more passive, passive, okay, okay, so I can see myself. I see my strength and weakness more becoming the business owner yeah, and weakness more becoming the business owners yeah, yeah. Something that I wanted to improve in terms of being more like social, social with people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's what I see, that's okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and also like handling the administrative work is much difficult than I expected. I always told like I heard from the previous managers that I worked with before. They told me like tips and all those things and like how hard it is to manage the office. But like now I'm realizing it, like I would say you physically feel it now, so it's much more difficult. Like even though when I'm seeing patients I always think about the auto-administration work, so like in my head you're thinking as you're like in there three things are going on in my head everyone's just like.
Speaker 2:He's probably thinking about my teeth, my teeth and also all the automations and everything that needs to go along with it. But this is it's okay if you're not too extroverted, because that's okay. They can't talk because your instruments are in their mouth anyway. So it's good because they're, like you know, with the stuff in their mouth. So, anyway, all right. And then, uh, last two questions. When you were in the beginning, did you have have a mentor or a coach to help you?
Speaker 1:No, actually no, I did not have any mentor.
Speaker 2:So everything just firsthand by yourself.
Speaker 1:Yeah, everything by myself. I guess I learned a couple of stuff from the previous owners when I worked as an associate, but I'll say just a little bit of things. But using those ideas I have to apply, but that's all I did.
Speaker 2:Okay, wow, I mean firsthand doing it yourself and getting it. That's crazy. Some people do get that. But looking back, would you or just take the same road that you took by yourself?
Speaker 1:If I had a mentor, that would be much helpful. Okay, I mean, right now, as it is, it's okay. It's okay Okay Because I learned. I would say I learned hard ways. Now everything will be easier. Yeah, you won't forget?
Speaker 2:And where do you see yourself in the next five years with your business?
Speaker 1:Next five years, something that I want to grow my practice more. I want to focus more on prosthetics rather than general dentistry. I also want to have associates who can help me to grow my practice and also take care of all the general dentistry work. That's my plan. If possible, I want to keep my one office, just focus on my office and make it grow. That's what I'm planning. After five years I don't know what's going to happen.
Speaker 2:Don't worry, I won't ask you 10 years, just five. We'll keep it at five.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's my focus.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. Well, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. This was a lot of fun. Thank you, and I know you say you're not very social, but I think you were very great. So you're doing great. Thank you so much for coming.
Speaker 1:Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.