Doctor Spotlight: Dr. Lina Jung of Aarm Dental Group at BC Place
Dr. Jung (or “Dr. Lina” to the kids) graduated with a Doctorate in Dental Surgery, Honors, from the University of Toronto in 1997, after a degree in Microbiology from UBC, and was awarded top prizes in Oral Medicine and Orthodontics. She then completed the UBC General Practice Residency Program, with advanced training for medically complex patients at VGH, BC Children’s Hospital, and the BC Cancer Agency. In addition to AARM BC Place, she has a successful practice in the Okanagan with her husband where she is also the General Consultant for the Department of Oral Oncology/Dentistry at The Cancer Center for the Southern Interior. She has been actively involved with oral cancer research and has actively taught the medical community. She provides a wide spectrum of general services, with a special interest in comprehensive care, TMD, Craniofacial Pain, Oral Medicine, Dental Sleep Medicine, and Orthopaedic Orthodontics.
Dr. Jung currently sits on the licencing body BCCOHP Discipline Committee and for many years past involved with BCDA. She is a Fellow of the American College of Dentistry and teaches case-based learning in Ethics at UBC. She was recently elected as the BCCOHP Board Director in the Dentist/ Dental Therapist seat and starts her three-year term in April 2024.
Dr. Jung believes your smile and total body health are top priorities. We believe in Optimal Dental Physiology, which means that we provide choices for oral care so that you can achieve optimal oral health. Dr. Jung and the entire team are dedicated to providing you with the personalized, high-quality dental care that you deserve. Dr. Jung spends extra time to get to know you so that you can be as comfortable as possible in our “dental home”.
In her spare time (when not chauffeuring her 3 kids), she enjoys hiking, biking, skiing and spending time at the beach with her family, in addition to being a Vancouver “foodie”!
Dr. Jung, with decades of experience could we go back to the beginning and speak to the original draw of dentistry? What influenced you to go into this specialty?
“Many family members in healthcare influenced me, so I always was destined be a healthcare worker as well, and since I had interests in both science and art, decided dentistry was a perfect fit. Living with intention and purpose to help others for equitable oral health guides me in taking care of people’s smiles to help their overall health.”
Within the field, is there a favourite part of practicing dentistry?
“My favourite part of practicing dentistry is being able to share in all the knowledge I have learned in my thirty years of practice and continuing education. This includes many different strategies in helping many previously fearful and anxious patients become less so and comfortable coming to the dentist’s office. Plus sharing as much information as possible about patients’ oral health diagnoses so they can make their own choices with their dental care.”
Going to the dentist for some patients can seem overhelming and nerve-wracking. Is there a common misconception that your patients should better understand?
“MYTH: Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke. If it doesn’t hurt it’s not a problem. FACT: Many dental problems progress silently until it’s too late. It’s better to take a preventive approach and catch things early (such as gum disease) so that the fix is easier, cheaper and more likely to succeed. Regular cleanings (hygiene) is the foundation for good dental care and health.”
Dr. Jung, you practice dentistry in two languages: Cantonese and English. For you, what is the importance and impact of having a multi-lingual practice in terms of accessibility of dental care?
“Communication is important; but comprehension is even more so. To understand our patients’ wants and needs plus for them to be able to be clear on their problems and treatment options we want to ensure clarity no matter what language. Vancouver is a multicultural city and hence our team at AARM Dental BC Place is able to speak multiple languages (Cantonese, Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi, Farsi, and any others we can use Google Translate) to welcome patients from many backgrounds”
Dr. Jung, what’s something that all patients can implement to better their oral health?
“The more you know the more power you have. Hence I believe all patients should be well informed of what the status of their oral health is so they can make their own choices as to how to care for their mouths. This is part of a preventive care approach. Also “form follows function”—aka if you have a healthy smile, you will also have a more beautiful smile. Oh and of course floss more lol!”
A concept at Aarm Dental Group is ‘Patient-Centered Dental Care’, what does this mean to you?
“The dental team listens to patients’ wants, concerns, and goals for their oral health as well as paying attention to their needs. Then we can all work together to put together a plan customized for your dental care.”
At Aarm Dental Group we’re thrilled about the new Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). Could you speak to CDCP and the impact it has on improving patients health and overall accessibility of dentistry?
“The new CDCP plan is a government subsidy that will help to remove one of the most significant barriers to dental care—cost. With government financial assistance many groups of people (low income, seniors, people with disabilities) who could not afford dental treatment previously can now have better access to care and start or restart their paths to regular preventive dental care. Equitable oral health is something that the dental profession has been advocating for the last thirty-plus years, hence Canadians are lucky to have this program to help subsidize their treatment. AARM Dental Group is here to help everyone achieve better oral health. Although it does not mean free dentistry, all AARM dentists will do their best to assist in using the CDCP and figuring out a comfortable and affordable financial arrangement.”
Dentistry, like all medical fields is constantly evolving. In terms of your post-graduate education and changes in the field, what skills or theories excite you the most?
“I started my career doing a coveted residency with UBC doing hospital dentistry and managing complex medical patients; I was fortunate to be mentored by one of Canada’s leaders in comprehensive prosthodontic and restorative dental care for cancer patients as well as one off the world’s most renown oral medicine specialists, hence I have developed skills and expertise in holistic care which starts with a thorough diagnosis (currently member of the BC Dental Study Club) as well as as skills and expertise in TMJD/ craniofacial pain, hence many patients do not need to be referred out as I can take care of them in my own office.
I’m a lifelong learner and hence have continued to do many courses every year, even surpassing the minimum requirements to maintain licensure by 2-3x quite often! Healthy smiles lead to healthy lives hence I have taken courses that vary in all topics to embrace a comprehensive approach when caring for patients.
Two particular interests carried on from winning top awards during dental school almost 30 years ago—orthodontics and oral medicine. Hence I have taken many advanced level courses in straightening teeth with functional appliances to develop children’s bites early to avoid bigger problems later and with traditional braces but now focus on clear aligners more commonly known as Invisalign, and currently am a study club member of the American Academy of Clear Aligners as well as with Invisalign.
Oral medicine encompasses anything unusual in the head and neck region, but particularly with extra focus involving the mouth—this means I can help figure out what that unusual lump or bump or different colored spot is as I also do oral biopsies, having been one of the original clinicians involved with the BC Oral Biopsy Service; as well as helping manage syndromes such as TMJD or migraines/headaches as well as airway/sleep-disordered breathing problems, having trained with key US figures including being an advanced level injector for Botulinum Toxin A (I am one of the rare clinicians who is qualified to treat all areas of the face plus the neck and current study club member of PTIFA).
I continue to learn from UBC Faculty of Dentistry students as well since learning goes both ways—for the last few years I have been teaching actively for the Ethics course (CBL facilitated by the American College of Dentists, of which I am proud to be a member). I am also always keeping up to date if not at the leading edge by being actively involved with the BC Dental Association continuing education opportunities and am one of the co-founders of the largest private BC Dentists network where our community of general and specialist dentists engage in supportive collegial conversations on all matters related to our profession.”
I know that both teaching and humanitarian work is something very important to you. Could you expand on these and speak to your clinical work outside of Aarm Dental Group?
“I have always volunteered in organized dentistry, starting over 30 years ago on student council in university days to my professional life, currently serving as an elected dentist Board member with our regulatory College the BCCOHP, whose mandate is to protect the public. Prior to that I was also an appointed member of the BCCOHP Disciplinary Committee.
I was involve for many years on different committees with the BC Dental Association and the Kelowna District Dental Society, with the BCDA’s Women in Dentistry Mentorship Committee being the one that I hold dearest as that is the one where I formed many lifelong friendships and gained not only mentees but mentors to help build a stronger profession that can help care for the public better. I have also taught Ethics for several years at the UBC Dental School so that our future dentists will continue excellent ethical care.
I believe in fair and equitable oral health and since I have a child with multiple disabilities have been her lifelong advocate as well as others in my role as a member of the Advocacy Committee with the Canadian Society for Disabilities and Oral Health. I also strongly believe good oral health begins early with preventive care and hence have volunteered many times to teach about good dental care in my three children’s schools over the years.
Due to my staff position at the BC Cancer Agency, I have also given donated time in giving various lectures to hospital staff, physician and dental study clubs, as well as nursing students at local colleges.”
Outside of dentistry, what inspires you?
“Outside of dentistry, family and a healthy balanced lifestyle are my inspiration. Hence we spend lots of time together in the outdoors life trying to get back to our hometown in the Okanagan to enjoy food and wine, as well as swimming, hiking, bicycling, camping and skiing fresh powder. Due to my past advocacy work my children are also actively engaged in projects both school wise and extracurricular with fairness, equity and justice hence much of our time is devoted to that as well.”
