About Us
We are here to serve and help you put a smile on your face for everyone to see.
Watch this short video to see what we are about.
Overview
At Union City Dental Care Center, we provide state-of-the-art dentistry to our patients and we’re home to eight of University of the Pacific’s advanced general dentistry residents — all with DDS degrees. Armed with advanced scientific methods in preventing and managing dental problems, they are committed to providing high-level care to our patients on a full-time basis under the auspices of the school’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program. This one- to two-year clinical training program is fully accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation. All services are rendered under the guidance of expert faculty members consisting of advanced trained dentists and specialists with lifelong careers in private practice and mentoring.
Our Faculty
Union City Dental Care Center is home to six general dentists and six specialists, all remarkable individuals with a distinguished background in dentistry — from professors who teach state-of-the-art principles to nationally recognized authorities in the dental industry. With lifelong careers in practice and mentoring, our faculty members work with our advanced resident dentists to give high-level care to patients, which ultimately shows in the patient’s smile.
Our Residents
Our residents come from around the world and all have DDS degrees. They all share a strong desire to pursue the latest advances in oral healthcare. Through a rigorous selection process by Pacific’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program, each resident has been selected out of approximately 80 candidates. The supportive environment at Union City Dental Care Center enables our residents to provide quality dental care to all our patients.
Our Staff
Our 11 staff members and one dental hygienist are part of what makes Union City Dental Care Center a compassionate environment. Most have been with us for more than 20 years so they are like family. They give our patients their personal attention and provide excellent support to our faculty and dental residents.
Our Facility
Thanks to educational funding and grants from University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, our facility is up-to-date with cutting-edge technology. With access to CAD/CAM technology and on-site CEREC milling unit, we can create inlays, onlays, and crowns in one appointment. We also use digital and 3D X-rays as well as bioluminescence (ATP) testing patients for caries (cavity) risk assessment. With these among other technologies available, you can feel confident that you are receiving state-of-the-art dentistry.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide patient-focused, quality dental care in a supportive and compassionate environment. We consider minimally invasive dentistry at the core of all treatment strategies in the best interest of our patients. Our well-established faculty and talented dental residents collaborate to provide comprehensive dental care, from traditional to state-of-the-art dentistry, at affordable prices. We welcome the opportunity to delight our patients and naturally become the dental office of choice.
Meet Our Faculty
Allen Wong, DDS, Ed.D
Professor and Director AEGD Program
Education: University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, DDS; Doctorate, Professional Education and Leadership (EdD).
Fellowships: American Association of Hospital Dentistry, American College Dentists, International College Dentists, Pierre Fauchard Academy, Academy Dentistry International.
Residencies: UOP Advanced Clinical Experience Certificate, Sacramento; UOP Advanced Education in General Dentistry Certificate, SF.
Diplomate American Board Special Care Dentistry (Hospital Dentistry) (DABSCD).
Honors: OKU National Dental Honor Society, Henry Schein ( Hu-Den) First Humanitarian Faculty Dentistry Award Recipient 2010, Pacific Dugoni Dental School.
Awards:
- Awarded the World Congress on Minimally Invasive Dentistry (WCMID) 2011 Academician of the Year.
- Awarded American College of Dentists Distinguished Faculty Member 2013 (Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry).
- Recent Recipient of the CDA Foundation Distinguished Faculty Award 2014 (from the 6 California Dental Schools).
- Awarded SFDS Committee Person of the Year 2015.
Bio: Dr. Wong has taught postdoctoral general dentistry for over 20 years in advanced education residency programs and is the director of Pacific’s Hospital Dentistry Program and Director of Highland Hospital Restorative Implant program. He has lectured nationally and internationally in the areas of special care dentistry, rotary endodontics, and minimally invasive dentistry. He is active with Special Olympics Special Smiles program as an International Dentist Trainer and the North American Regional Clinic Advisor, American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry ( AADMD ) Board member and Special Care Dentistry Association ( SCDA ).
Currently, Professor at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in the Department of Dental Practice where he teaches senior dental students in hospital dentistry and access to care as well as private practice in San Francisco and advanced dentistry with his AEGD residents at Union City and Highland General Hospital.
He is a member of ADA, CDA and San Francisco Dental Society. Vice Chair of Dental Health Committee.
Special Olympics International Global Clinical Advisor, Special Smiles Program.
William C. Sands, DDS
AEGD Director of Operations
Education: University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, DDS.
Fellowships: American Dental Education Leadership Institute, American College Dentist, & the Pierre Fauchard Academy.
Professional Memberships: American Dental Association, California Dental Association & Southern Alameda County Dental Society, TKO Honor Society.
Awards: Lucien Szmyd Award for “Excellence in Clinical Instruction” and Dr. Mark S. Hagge Faculty Award for “Exemplary role model and educator.”
Bio: Dr. Sands was in private practice for 16 years. That was followed by extensive international work in many countries around the world. There was a special focus on Nigeria, West Africa, where Dr. Sands worked in 20 different villages/tribes and set up healthcare systems with two tribes. His international work has led him from Pakistan, India, Africa, Latin America countries and many places in between.
Currently he is Director of Operations at the Union City Dental Care Center of the Advanced Education part of the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry.
As you can imagine, international travel and cross-cultural interactions are his joy. Of course there are other activities including his family and his five grandchildren. A lifelong sports addict is his vice.
Dr. Doug Farrell
Faculty Dentist, Specialist
Education: University of Southern California (USC), School of Dentistry in 1974. Completed a two-year post-doctoral program in advanced prosthodontics at the VA Medical Center in West Los Angeles in 1987.
Bio: Dr. Doug Farrell practiced privately for 30 years and held part-time and full-time teaching positions at USC and currently at University of the Pacific, Dugoni Union City Dental Care Center. He is an avid sailor, adventure seeker, and USC football fan.
George Shiao, DMD
Faculty Dentist
Education: Temple University, School of Dentistry.
Bio: Dr. George Shiao was born in Taiwan and immigrated with his family to the United States at the age of eight. He grew up in Dallas (huge fan of the Cowboys!), graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, and attended Temple University School of Dentistry where he met his future wife. Together with his wife, they have three general practices in Dublin, Tracy, and Stockton.
Dr. Shiao embraces and loves new technology, especially CAD/CAM Cerec.
He enjoys supervising residents at University of the Pacific, Union City Dental Care center and is ecstatic that it will soon be his 10-year anniversary of teaching there.
He spends his spare time with his two lovely kids.
Quoting Dr. George Shiao, “Go Warriors!”
Timothy Verceles, DDS, MAGD
Faculty Dentist
Education: UC San Francisco School of Dentistry, DDS; 1994, Completed a General Practice Residency at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto (MAGD).
Bio: Dr. Verceles grew up in Mountain View, CA and graduated from Saint Francis High School. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Genetics from UC Davis. He earned his bachelor’s degree in dental sciences and doctor of dental surgery degree from UC San Francisco. In 1994, he completed a General Practice Residency at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto.
Dr. Verceles is a trained hospital dentist and has worked at the Gardner Family Health Network community clinic for 8 years as a staff dentist and as an attending staff dentist at the VA Palo Alto for 8 years. He earned his mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry in 2007. In 2008, he graduated from the American Dental Association’s Institute for Diversity in Leadership Program in Chicago that is taught by faculty from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Dr. Verceles holds a certificate in Non-Profit Management from San Jose State University.
Dr. Verceles has served as Vice President of the AGD VA constituent and is Past President of the Northern California Academy of General Dentistry and Past President of the California Academy of General Dentistry. He is currently on the Scientific Meetings Council for the AGD. He is Executive Director of Advocates For Access, Inc. which has the mission of providing dental care to low income children, seniors and special needs patients. Dr. Verceles also serves as the volunteer dental director for the Health and Wellness Center of SF City Impact, a Christian, non-profit organization, dedicated to providing services for the residents of the Tenderloin district of San Francisco. Dr. Verceles is active in Boy Scouts. He is youth programs director for Knights of Columbus Council #1615 and the All Saints CYO Board president. He is currently the Cubmaster of Pack 103 and an Assistant Scout Master and merit badge counselor for Troop 103. He also coaches his son’s little league baseball and CYO basketball teams.
He currently practices family dentistry in Hayward, CA. Dr. Verceles is certified in oral sedation, implant and cosmetic dentistry. He is married to Marilou and resides in Mountain View, CA with their 3 children, Victoria, Jonathan and Christopher.
Russell Taylor, DMD
Faculty Dentist
Education:
- 2010 Advanced Education in General Dentistry, A.E.G.D .,University of the Pacific, Union City CA,
Strengths: Implant placement, Surgical extractions, Rotary Endodontics. - 2009 Dentariae Medicinae Doctor, D.M.D., McGill University, Montreal QC,
Strengths: Orthodontics, Periodontics, Prosthodontics. - 2006 Master of Science, M.Sc., University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON,
Concentration: Biological Chemistry. - 2004 Baccalaureate of Science, B.Sc., University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON,
Concentration: Biology and Organic Chemistry.
Honors: Biology.
Awards:
- 2010 AEGD Top Dental Resident.
- Hanau Excellence in Prosthodontics.
- American Association of Dental Public Health Dentistry Award.
- American Dental Association International Volunteerism Awards.
Accreditation:
- Canadian Dental Association.
- American Dental Association.
- California Dental Association.
- San Francisco Dental Society (SFDS).
- Board member of the SFDS Public Health committee.
Bio: Dr. Taylor is a general dentist who practices in San Francisco and works as a Clinical instructor at the University of the Pacific.
He finished his undergraduate training in Biology with a focus on Organic Chemistry and went on to complete his Masters in Biological Chemistry at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Taylor received his Doctorate in Dental Medicine at McGill University in Montreal Canada in 2009 and went on to do additional year training in Advanced General Dentistry at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco.
Dr. Taylor participates in charity clinics in the Bay Area and overseas each year:
- Remote Area Medical RAM (Oakland charity clinic).
- Project Homeless Connect (San Francisco based charity clinic).
- California Dental Association Cares (San Jose clinic for the under-served).
- Kindness in Action (Ecuador portable clinic).
- Vietnam Village Health (South Vietnam medical/dental clinic).
Keivan Zoufan, DDS, MDS
Faculty Dentist, Specialist
Education: University of Southern California Ostrow School of Dentistry, DDS; advanced endodontic training at the University of Connecticut.
Marc Geissberger DDS, MA, BS, CPT
Faculty Dentist, Specialist
Education: University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, DDS; University of the Pacific, Masters of Arts in Educational Psychology.
Douglas A. Young DDS, EdD, MS, MBA
Faculty Dentist, Specialist
Bio: Dr. Young is a Professor at the University of the Pacific where he is an active and ardent educator in the field of minimally invasive dentistry, dental materials, and cariology. He is one of the founders of the CAMBRA (Caries Management By Risk Assessment) Coalition. Dr. Young recently served on the ADA Council of Scientific Affairs and is currently a cariology consultant for the ADA.
Dr. Young has presented at congresses and universities around the world. Dr. Young has been published in numerous peer-reviewed dental journals and textbooks focusing on minimal invasive dentistry, glass ionomer, and cariology.
Meet our Residents
Mudita Agrawal, DDS
Fatemah Alkazemi, DDS
Kenneth Han, DDS
Dalal Hasan, DDS
Ghazaleh Hosseini, DDS
Angela Lee, DDS
Alya Sarkhouah, DDS
Giving Back To Our Community
In addition to the compassionate care of the staff and residents at Union City Dental Care Center, the commitment to give a confident smile to patients extends into community events. Staff and residents typically attend community events such as Give Special Kids a Smile and CDA Cares. In the video link here, you’ll see our very own resident, Dr. Kenneth Han, give his own account of giving back to the community at the CDA Cares Event in San Mateo.
Gavin Newsom stopped by the CDA Cares Event and was blown away by the new Larell dentures on a patient.