By Nancy Brumback, Contributing Writer
Photo/Nancy Brumback
Business name: Accord Dental
Address: 1 Hawthorne St., North Grafton
Owner: Dr. Jungwoo Lee, DMD
Contact Information: 508-839-6464
How long have you been in North Grafton?
“I succeeded Dr. Charles Gagne, who had been practicing 40 years in this location, in October,” said Dr. Jungwoo Lee, who renamed the practice Accord Dental. “This is my second office; my other office is in Medford. I always wanted to have an office close to my church community in Hopkinton. I met Dr. Gagne and we mutually agreed that I would take over the practice. I used to live in South Grafton, so this is like coming home for me. ”
Dr. Lee was born in South Korea and came to the United States in 1995. He graduated from the Boston University Henry Goldman School of Dental Medicine and began to practice in 2002.
What do you specialize in?
“We practice general dentistry, but I also focus on dental implants and Invisalign. I was trained in implants and have seven-plus years’ experience doing implants.
“We do white-color fillings, oral surgery, root canals, and dentures. We have a periodontist, a gum specialist, who sees patients in this office.”
What are dental implants?
“Implants now are a major trend in dentistry. If teeth are missing, instead of leaning on adjacent teeth, implants are more durable,” Dr. Lee explained. “The implant, which forms the base for a crown, is independent; if an adjacent tooth has a problem, the implant is intact. With a bridge, if you have trouble with adjacent teeth, you may have to get a new bridge.
“Implant dentistry is evolving every day. Sometimes if a patient has to have a tooth removed, I can offer same-day extraction and implant surgery, so there is just one surgery instead of two separate procedures. It’s more convenient, and the outcome is much better.”
What is Invisalign?
“Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment performed by certified providers such as myself. Compared to conventional braces, this is ‘invisible’ because it uses a series of clear stents to move teeth. There are two advantages. It is removable so when patients eat or brush their teeth, they can take it out. And cosmetically there’s no wire across the teeth so it’s much better looking. It’s a great tool for straightening front teeth. For very complicated cases, patients would still need conventional orthodontics.”
Do you see children in this practice?
“We do treat children,” Dr. Lee said. “I recommend bringing children in around age 2 for the first time. For children under 2, we recommend parents brush their teeth with a children’s toothbrush and monitor the teeth for any cavity or stain that doesn’t brush off.
“The most common mistake parents make with their young children’s teeth is too much juice and other beverages that contain sugars. An apple is better than apple juice.”
Do you provide teeth whitening?
“Teeth whitening is definitely available. It’s very popular now. I don’t have equipment here yet for in-office whitening, though I do in my other office. I will be adding it here before too long. Right now, we offer a take-home kit for whitening.”
Accord Dental’s office hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. The office is closed Saturday and Sunday.
