For Wisdom Teeth:

Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons have at minimum 4 or 6 years of formal training beyond the 4 years of dental school. This unique training specifically involves surgical removal of the most difficult of wisdom teeth. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are the most proficient providers for safe removal of wisdom teeth. In addition to being the best at performing this surgery; the Specialty sets the national standard of care for removal of wisdom teeth. Dr. Kang has 6 years of hospital based surgical training beyond the 4 years of dental school, and has formal Medical School and Fellowship training. In addition, he takes this surgery extremely seriously—and puts his patient’s safety and optimum surgical outcome as the #1 priority.

For Anesthesia/Sedation:

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons perform the majority of in office sedation within the practice of dentistry. Dr. Kang has had formal hospital based anesthesia training completed during his years in medical school, general surgery residency, and oral and maxillofacial surgery residency. In addition to this, Dr. Kang is a physician with an active medical license, maintains an active General Anesthesia Permit in Colorado, and is Board Certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. At Aspen Oral and Facial Surgery, Dr. Kang will provide in-office anesthesia with Hospital-Grade monitoring equipment and will provide the safest office-based anesthesia techniques available to his patients.

For Dental Implants:

In some situations, dental implants can be un-complicated and straight forward, but just as often they can be extremely challenging and complicated. To adequately perform dental implants at a high level—a surgeon must understand and be able to provide for dental implants at all stages of treatment while utilizing the most modern available technologies. Planning starts from before tooth extractions until the implants are ready for the final restorative restoration. Dr. Kang is very thorough in planning your treatment and discussing plans with patients, and can provide the highest standard of dental implant treatment available. By having Dr. Kang involved in your implant treatment—you get a highly skilled surgeon to perform the implant surgery, and your dentist to perform the crown restoration. This ensures that at least 2 doctors will be able to evaluate and participate in your care—and each is performing the service for which they are specifically trained.

For Bone Grafting:

Bone grafting is a surgical skill that should be provided by a surgeon, if it is to be performed most effectively. Bone grafting is often times most beneficial and cost-effective when done at the time of a tooth extraction. Conversely—if it is not done at the time of extraction and should have been, it can become a much more difficult, costly, and time-consuming process for patients. If a patient is going to have a tooth extracted and desires an implant—it is often best to seek consultation from a surgeon prior to having that tooth extracted, to ensure the best possible outcome.

For Facial Trauma Treatment:

Trained as a medical doctor as well as an oral surgeon, Dr. Kang is an expert at reconstruction of the face and jaws due to complex facial injuries. Dr. Kang currently holds the position as Medical Director of Facial Trauma at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lafayette, CO. He has comprehensive knowledge and skills in the treatment of traumatic injuries to the head and neck, and contemporary training in accepted advancements in treatment of these cases. Dr. Kang’s training involved treatment of nearly every traumatic condition from the above the collarbones to the forehead. He can provide comprehensive care of the face, jaws, and teeth, both soft and hard tissue, and maintains relationships with other surgical sub-specialists in this field if needed to provide up-to-date care.

Pathology of the Jaws, Head, Neck, and Face:

Tumors, cysts, and cancers of the head and neck have special significance in treatment because the removal can be disfiguring, and disruptive to nerve function, speaking, taste, and eating. If these lesions are treated as soon as they are identified, it often means smaller surgery and better surgical outcomes. If lesions do have large negative consequences—they can require bone or skin grafting and possible dental or facial implants. Dr. Kang has thorough knowledge of the facial skeleton and soft tissue, technologies available, and the possible surgeries to treat these conditions. Having Fellowship training in Head and Neck Cancer reconstruction and Facial Trauma reconstruction has uniquely qualified him to care for patients with these conditions. Dr. Kang is one of just a handful of surgeons chosen into Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery Fellowship every year. Recently, Dr. Kang has published in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery on Human Papillomavirus and Oral Cancer and a chapter on Odontogenic and Nonodontogenic cysts in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Knowledge Update.