Gentle Dental Costa Mesa

About Me
Dr. Higgins says, “For me, dentistry has always been an amazing mix of science and art. I love that every procedure and patient is different and brings its own set of challenges and rewards.” He encourages his patients to be involved in their treatment in order to achieve the best results possible, and is always open to questions and is attentive to each patient’s needs.
After graduating from Randolph-Macon College, Dr. Higgins received his Dental Degree from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. He completed his Advanced Education In General Dentistry while serving in the United States Navy. He’s a member of the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry.
Dr. Higgins says, “Away from the office I enjoy spending time with my fiancé, hiking, stand up paddle boarding and baking.”

Education

B.S., Chemistry–Randolph-Macon College
D.D.S.–Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry
Advanced Education In General Dentistry –United States Navy

Affiliations

American Dental Association
Academy of General Dentistry

About Me

Dentistry runs in his family–he’s a dentist following in the footsteps of his Orthodontist father. Dr. Follico most enjoys the personal interactions he has with patients and the satisfaction of improving their smiles and their overall health in a caring, comfortable environment using the latest techniques and technologies. It’s an added satisfaction for him to witness the improvement of his patients’ self-esteem as their smile improves.

After graduating from University of Southern California, Dr. Follico continued on there and received his D.D.S. from their School of Dentistry. To keep abreast of cutting edge technology, he’s an active member of the American Dental Association and the Orange County Dental Association.

In his free time, Dr. Follico enjoys outdoor activities and is a big football fan–especially USC. Go Trojans!

About Me
For Dr. Alkatib, patient care is his first concern and he appreciates how the teamwork at Gentle Dental allows him to concentrate on helping his patients develop comfortable and confident smiles as he nurtures trusting relationships with them. He realizes that your oral health has a profound impact on your overall well-being.

Dr. Alkatib completed his dental studies at the USC School of Dentistry, from which he was also awardwd his Endodontics Certificate. Dr. Alkatib is also an internationally trained Oral Surgeon. Because of his dual training, he has a special interest in Surgical Endodontics. He is a member of the American Dental Association, California Dental Association, and Tri-County Dental Society.

Dr. Alkatib is an avid swimmer and enjoys hiking and spending time with his wife and three children. During his free time, he also enjoys cooking, and traveling to different countries to learn new recipes.

Education
D.D.S.–USC School of Dentistry
Endodontics Certificate–USC School of Dentistry

Affiliations
American Dental Association
California Dental Association
Tri-County Dental Society

About Me

Dr. Ly loves Interacting with children and is committed to helping his young patients by delivering quality dentistry in a comfortable, caring environment, which is one of the reasons he chose Gentle Dental. He enjoys working together with kids to nurture beautiful, healthy smiles and help them build dental habits that will last a lifetime. His goal is to provide a superior yet enjoyable dental treatment so that each visit is something kids will look forward to.

After graduating from UC Irvine with a degree in Biology, Dr. Ly received his D.D.S. from the Columbia University School of Dentistry. He’s an active member of the American Dental Association, the San Diego Children’s Dental Society and the California Dental Association.

Away from the office Dr. Ly enjoys basketball, reading and playing with his children.

Education

B.S. Biology-UC Irvine
D.D.S.-Columbia University School of Dentistry

Affiliations

American Dental Association
California Dental Association
San Diego Children’s Dental Society

As a child, Dr. Hazrati watched her uncle make dentures for his patients. The idea of helping people and improving their dental health and their enjoyment of life was one of the principal reasons she was attracted to dentistry. She loves working with people and making a difference in their lives. Dr. Hazrati feels that building a foundation of trust by treating her patients as special individuals is vital. She understands how uneasy some patients may feel about their dental visits, and how she can make a difference in providing a relaxing and positive experience.

After studying Biochemistry at UC Riverside, she attended Loma Linda University for her D.D.S. degree. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Orange County Dental Association, the American Dental Association and the California Dental Association.
 
Dr. Hazrati is fluent in Persian. Away from the office, she enjoys going for long walks and jogging on the beach, reading books, and cooking.

Education

• B.S., Biochemistry – UC Riverside
• D.D.S. – Loma Linda University

Affiliations

• American Dental Association
• California Dental Association
• Orange County Dental Association

ABOUT ME
Dr. Emamy says, “I have a passion for creating beautiful smiles and improving my patients’ bite and overall facial harmony. I’m confident that I could address all my patients’ concerns about their bite and smile. I love getting to know my patients’ as individuals. They can approach me anytime with questions and I will be glad to go over every single one of them!”

After graduating with a B.S. in Psychobiology from UCLA, Dr. Emamy received her Dental Degree, M.P.H. and her Orthodontic Certificate from the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health. Dr. Emamy also completed her M.B.A. at California State University, Long Beach. She is Board Certified. To keep up with evolving technology, she’s a member of the American Dental Association, the American Association of Orthodontics and a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. She also attends many conferences each year.

Dr. Emamy says, “In my free time I enjoy playing tennis, skiing and spending time with my family and friends. I love to travel, too.” She also speaks Farsi.

EDUCATION
B.S., Psychobiology–UCLA
M.B.A.–California State University, Long Beach
D.M.D.– Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health – A.T. Still University
M.P.H.–Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health – A.T. Still University

AFFILIATIONS
Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics
American Association of Orthodontics
American Dental Association

About Me
As an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Dr. Needle appreciates his role in providing pain relief to his patients through surgical procedures. He applies a caring, detail-oriented approach to each patient’s case, taking time to solve their dental issues effectively, and thoughtfully provides treatment choices that are specifically designed around each clients needs.

Dr. Needle earned his D.D.S. from the UCLA School of Dentistry. He later earned his Certificate in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center. To keep abreast of cutting edge technology, he’s a member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He is also a Fellow, American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Away from the office, Dr. Needle enjoys tennis, skiing and travel with his family

Education
D.D.S-UCLA School of Dentistry
M.S., Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery-Georgetown University

Affiliations
American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
California Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Academy of Osseointegration Fellow
American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
American Dental Association
California Dental Association

About Me
Dr. Stephen Kallaos’ goal is to provide a pleasant periodontic evaluation and an informative discussion of the options for attaining optimum oral health. He offers multiple levels of sedation to make treatment for his patients as comfortable as possible. He is also very active with his peers to stay on top of the latest technology and procedures available. His membership to industry associations include the Academy of Osseointegration, the American Dental Association, and the California Society of Periodontists, to name a few.
After receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from UCLA, Dr. Kallaos continued his studies as a Bruin, entering the UCLA School of Dentistry for his D.D.S. degree. He then focused his studies on Periodontics and earned his certificate in this specialty from the UC San Francisco School of Dentistry. He is Board-certified by the American Board of Periodontology. Dr. Kallaos has been practicing Periodontics since 1998. Outside of the office, he enjoys bicycling, snow skiing, and Sudoku, and his favorite author is Dan Brown. He is married and has three children.

Education

B.S., Biology – University of California, Los Angeles
D.D.S. – University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry
Certificate, Periodontics – University of California
San Francisco School of Dentistry

Affiliations

Diplomate – American Board of Periodontology
Newport Harbor Academy of Dentistry

American Academy of Periodontology
California Society of Periodontists
American Dental Association
California Dental Association
Orange County Dental Society
Tri-County Dental Society