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Office Visit: Drs. Edmund Liu and Ken Lin

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Categories: Practice Management, HR and Accounting;
Office Visit: Drs. Edmund Liu and Ken Lin 

Cousins Edmund Liu and Chung Lin turned a family bond into a thriving practice

by Kyle Patton, Editor
photography by Kirth Bobb

Dentists spend most of their working hours inside their own practices, so they usually don’t get many opportunities to see what it’s like inside another doctor’s office. Dentaltown’s recurring Office Visit profile offers a chance for Townies to meet their peers, hear their stories and get a sense of how they practice.
Drs. Edmund Liu and Chung (Ken) Lin, first cousins, not only attended the University of Maryland School of Dentistry together but also graduated in the same year. Their parallel paths didn’t stop there. Years later, they teamed up to open Clarksburg Dental Center in Germantown, Maryland, where they’ve built a thriving practice rooted in trust, teamwork and cutting-edge care.

Beyond their clinical skills, Liu and Lin credit much of their success to their commitment to ongoing education. Taking courses from the Productive Dentist Academy (PDA) and Breakaway Dental Seminars transformed how they approach practice management, patient communication and efficiency.

In this Dentaltown exclusive Q&A, the duo shares their journey—from navigating the challenges of practice ownership to relocating just months before the COVID-19 shutdown—and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.


Office Highlights
NAMES:
Drs. Edmund Liu and Chung Lin

GRADUATED FROM:
University of Maryland School of Dentistry

PRACTICE NAME:
Clarksburg Dental Center
Germantown, MD

PRACTICE SIZE:
3,500 sq ft; 10 ops

TEAM SIZE:
13

What inspired both of you to get into dentistry?

EL: My journey into dentistry started with a painful lesson! Back in high school and college, I was addicted to Coca-Cola, which led to a really bad cavity with some serious tooth pain. I ended up seeing a dentist for a root canal, and it cost me all the money I had at the time: $600. Even though it wiped out my bank account, I was so thankful for the relief he gave me. Afterward, I thought to myself, “I just gave this guy everything I had, and I’m still so grateful. What a cool job!” That’s when I started thinking about dentistry as a career.

KL: What attracted me most to dentistry was its profound ability to positively impact patients by improving their confidence and quality of life. As a child, I loved building models and collecting miniatures, which sparked my appreciation for precision and creativity—qualities that dentistry embodies. It’s one of the few professions that seamlessly blends science and art. Whether performing restorative or cosmetic procedures, dentists have the unique opportunity to craft outcomes that are both beautiful and functional.


What led you to team up and start a practice together, and how did your family dynamic play into that decision?

EL: Ken and I came to the U.S. around the same time and stayed at our aunt’s house together for a few months. We spent a lot of time hanging out in college and even ended up in the same class in dental school. Over the years, we got to know each other well, and it was clear we had similar personalities and a lot of trust in each other. Teaming up to start a practice felt like a natural next step.

KL: This is a long story, but I’ll keep it brief. Edmund and I are first cousins through our mothers. I was born in Taiwan and moved to Argentina at the age of 9, while Edmund grew up in Hong Kong. We never met until we both moved to the U.S. and stayed at our aunt’s place. It was during this time that we became very close, bonding over the shared challenges of adjusting to American life. The funny thing is, after graduating from college, we both independently decided to apply to dental school—and ended up at the same school, in the same year. Our friendship deepened as we supported each other through the intense first and second years of dental school. We cherished the final two years together before going our separate ways after graduation. Then, fate brought us back together when Edmund chose Clarksburg to start a practice from scratch and invited me to join him on that journey, which has led us to where we are today.
When you started out, what was the one area of practice management you underestimated?

EL: We underestimated how important it is to have solid systems in place from the start. It wasn’t until almost 10 years into running our practice that we took business management courses, like the Breakaway Seminar and PDA workshop, and realized how much easier things could’ve been if we’d done that earlier. My advice? Take courses like those as early as possible—ideally before or right when you’re starting your practice. It’ll save you a lot of headaches down the road!

KL: My recommendation to anyone considering opening their own practice is to invest in these courses early on. Two programs we highly recommend are the Productive Dentist Academy (PDA) and Breakaway Dental Seminars. We continue to take courses from PDA to stay updated on the latest changes in dentistry and to continually improve patient care. These programs have been instrumental in shaping the success of our practice, and we encourage others to explore them.

PDA provides invaluable knowledge on structuring a practice for greater efficiency and productivity, while maintaining a patient-first approach. This approach emphasizes building deep, trusted relationships with patients by delivering care tailored to their individual needs, fostering both trust and satisfaction.


Relocating around COVID sounds like a nightmare scenario. How did you retain patients and stabilize operations during that upheaval?

EL: We relocated our office in October 2019, a few months before the COVID shutdowns hit. At the time, we had so many bills to cover—buildout costs, a mortgage, new equipment—you name it. So, when we found out we had to close, we were definitely scared. We set up detailed safety protocols, held thorough infection control training for the team and even made videos to show our patients exactly what we were doing to keep them protected. We wanted them to feel confident that it was safe to visit the dentist, even during the pandemic.

KL: Relocating during the COVID pandemic was an experience we wouldn’t want to live through again—it was incredibly stressful, as we were uncertain how long our capital could sustain the practice. Despite the challenges, we made it a priority to keep all our team members on payroll without any layoffs. We also stayed in close communication with our patients, reassuring them that we were just a phone call away and available for emergency care.


How has your practice philosophy evolved?

EL: At the start of my career, my focus was on providing the best clinical care for patients. Over time, my philosophy has evolved. Now, I want to provide the best possible overall experience—not just clinical care. That means thinking about every little detail, from how our website looks, to the first phone call, to how patients feel when they walk into the office, how we escort them to the clinical area and even how we follow up afterward. It’s all about creating a seamless, positive experience from start to finish.

KL: Our practice philosophy evolved as our team grew closer and more unified. One positive outcome of the COVID pandemic was the unexpected time it gave us to restructure and improve our practice together. In the busy daily life of a dental office, time is always a scarce resource. However, the months we spent closed provided a rare opportunity to meet regularly with our team, address areas of the practice that needed improvement and implement meaningful changes. When we reopened, we returned with a stronger, more cohesive team and an improved practice, ready to deliver even better care to our patients.
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How did your view of case presentations and patient communication evolve?

EL: From working with PDA, I learned that it’s not just my job, but my obligation, to share everything I see with my patients and recommend all the treatments I think they need. Our goal is to do everything we can to help our patients get as healthy as possible. That’s what comprehensive dental care is all about. Working with AcceptCare has also been a game-changer. It gives us the ability to offer more affordable payment options, even for patients who may not have the best credit. This way, they don’t have to delay treatment or compromise their health just because of financial concerns.

KL: PDA elevated our practice to the next level. It emphasized the importance of building deep relationships with our patients and establishing trust. By showing them that we are true advocates for their dental health, we were able to communicate effectively and educate them about the risk factors impacting their oral health. This approach allowed us to create personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient’s needs.


How do you two divide clinical work?

EL: Of course, we each see our own patients and handle our own cases during a typical day. But we also frequently consult with each other when it comes to treatment planning. It’s great to have a partner you can trust for input. As for what we love doing, we both really enjoy performing LANAP and restorative procedures.

KL: Edmund and I share the same clinical philosophy and prioritize taking continuing education courses together, ensuring that we can perform the same procedures at a high level. We also have a shared understanding of the procedures we prefer not to perform, such as root canal treatments. For those cases, we partner with exceptional specialists in our area to ensure our patients receive the best care.


How do you approach educating patients about advanced treatments or tools without overwhelming them?

EL: We make sure to use simple, easy-to-understand language when educating our patients. We focus on explaining the problem, the possible solutions and how the treatment we recommend will benefit them. We also use an app called DDS GP, which features simple graphics and cartoons. It helps make patients feel more comfortable and less nervous about the treatment.

KL: Taking the time to truly listen to patients and understand their concerns is essential. This approach not only builds trust but also creates an opportunity to educate them about the benefits and value of treatment, ultimately helping to improve both their oral and overall health.


For dentists considering partnerships—whether with family or not—what’s one key lesson you’ve learned about navigating disagreements?

EL: Disagreements are going to happen, whether you’re partners with family, friends or anyone else. In the office, the key question I always ask myself is: What is our mission and vision? Everything we do should be focused on supporting those goals. When disagreements happen between Ken and me, I remind myself that it’s never personal. It’s about finding a way to solve the issue while keeping our mission in mind and staying on track.

KL: Partnerships with family and friends can be unpredictable. It’s essential to truly understand each other—not just in terms of personality but also practice philosophy. Aligning on core values and approaches to patient care is crucial, as differing philosophies can make it extremely challenging to build and sustain a successful practice together. When disagreements arise, we make it a priority to step back, listen to each other and work toward a resolution. While we may not succeed every single time, we manage to come to an agreement about 98% of the time.

We both understand that our decisions are always guided by what’s best for our patients, our practice and our team members.


Give us a snapshot of your life outside of dentistry

EL: Outside of dentistry, I’m really into soccer and play a couple of games each week. I love spending time with my family and traveling with them whenever we can. I’m also a big fan of watching shows on Netflix. Recently, I’ve started running, and my goal is to complete a half marathon in May 2025!

KL: Outside of dentistry, I cherish spending quality time with my family and friends. My wife, Amy, and our kids, Kyle, 17, and Reina, 15, share a love for travel, exploring the diverse cultures and cuisines of different parts of the world. On weekends, I still enjoy playing video games with friends—it’s a fun way to keep my manual dexterity sharp and my mind young. Additionally, I have a passion for collecting motorized miniature trains, which has become a favorite hobby of mine.

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