After practicing dentistry for over 15 years, Dr. Yu still has trouble choosing her favorite part of her job! She loves that she gets to transform her patients’ smiles and boost their confidence, and she also deeply appreciates the relationships she gets to build with them along the way. Plus, the constant evolution of dental technology and techniques is always fascinating for her. She’s ready to bring all of her enthusiasm and positivity to your next dental visit, but before that, you can learn a little more about Dr. Yu below!
Why Did You Decide to Become a Dentist?
Dr. Yu comes from a long line of physicians (including one dentist—her uncle), so she believes that’s why she was drawn to medicine initially. She wasn’t set on becoming a dentist until she shadowed in a dental office and saw a young girl come in with a chipped tooth. She was timid and quiet, but after the dentist quickly fixed her tooth with some bonding, she opened up and immediately became excited to go to school so she could show off her smile. From that moment, Dr. Yu knew that she wanted to be able to help people in the same way.
Where Did You Study Dentistry?
Dr. Yu received her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry in 2006. To further her training, she pursued an intensive postgraduate residency program at the University of Florida College of Dentistry. During this fellowship, she studied and trained with some of the nation's leading dental practitioners, including Dr. Peter Dawson of the Dawson Academy as well as clinicians from the Pankey Institute. Dr. Yu credits training with such leaders so early on in her career as to why she holds herself to a higher standard and puts so much value on high-quality continuing education.
Working to stay at the forefront of today's cutting-edge techniques in dentistry, Dr. Yu maintains an extensive schedule of continuing education courses and training. She is a frequent scholar at Spear Education, the Pankey Institute, Dawson Academy, Seattle Study Club, and the Pikos Implant Institute. Dr. Yu was awarded her Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD) in 2013 and then a Mastership (MAGD) in 2020, which is a designation less than 2% of all general dentists have obtained. She has also completed training focused on airway and sleep treatment through the Spear Institute, The Breathe Institute, and Sleep Group Solutions.
Additionally, Dr. Yu is active in the dental community, where she is a member of the:
Outside of the Dental Office, What Do You Like to Do?
Dr. Yu is an avid skier, and she and her husband, Andrew, try to take a trip out west to hit the slopes every year (she doesn’t hold it against him that he’s a snowboarder). Her other passion outside of dentistry is traveling, and before she got married, she made a promise to herself to go abroad at least once a year. She also considers herself to be a bit of a foodie and likes all types of restaurants, whether it’s a small hole-in-the-wall or a three Michelin star destination.
