By Dr. David Dung, DDS, MS, Board-Certified Orthodontist · June 25, 2026
When I opened Dung Orthodontics in Honolulu in 1987, I made a decision that has shaped our practice ever since: I would not let an ocean stand between a family and a healthy smile. That is the year I began traveling to Molokaʻi, and nearly four decades later, we are still going.
For many families on the neighbor islands, seeing an orthodontic specialist once meant boarding a plane for every single appointment. For a year or two of treatment, that is dozens of flights, days of missed school and work, and a cost that put care out of reach for a lot of kids who needed it. I did not think that was right then, and I do not think it is right now.
A Different Kind of Practice
So we built something different. To this day, I travel to Molokaʻi to care for patients at Nalu Dental in Kaunakakai, bringing braces, Invisalign®, and early treatment to families on the island. Treatment is coordinated through our Oʻahu offices, so a patient’s records, scans, and plan move with them seamlessly from visit to visit. For roughly 15 years, we have done the same for families on Lānaʻi.
It is not the most efficient way to run a practice. It would be far simpler to ask everyone to come to us. But orthodontics is about more than straight teeth. It is about a young person walking into a classroom with confidence, an adult finally smiling in a photo without thinking twice. Every community deserves access to that, not just the ones with a specialist down the street.
Why It Matters
Over the years, I have watched Molokaʻi children grow up, finish treatment, and bring their own kids to see us. That continuity, the sense of being part of a community’s story across generations, is the most rewarding part of what I do. It is also why our whole team takes such pride in the care we provide, whether a patient sits in our chair in Honolulu, in ʻAiea, or on Molokaʻi.
This commitment is part of a bigger picture. As a practice, we support Always Dream Molokai and Friends of Hickam, and our doctors work with local schools across Oʻahu. We believe a healthy smile should be within reach for every family in Hawaiʻi, and we try to live that belief, not just say it.
Looking Ahead
I am proud that what started as one orthodontist getting on a plane in 1987 has become a lasting part of who we are. As our team has grown to three board-certified orthodontists, that founding commitment has only deepened. We will keep showing up, on every island we serve, for as long as families need us.
If your family is on Molokaʻi and you are wondering whether orthodontic care is within reach, it is. Learn more about our Molokaʻi care, or read about what makes our practice different.
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