Dr. Chin Park's journey to becoming a dentist isn't your usual story—it's one shaped by perseverance, faith, and a big heart for helping others. Growing up in a military family in Korea, Dr. Park and his younger brother learned early on how to get by on a budget. "Back then, living on a single military paycheck meant skipping out on luxuries. As we got older, you realized, 'Hey, we didn't get a new backpack every school year, and we definitely didn't get new shoes every school year.' That's just how we grew up," Dr. Park explained.
But his parents did everything they could to make sure their boys didn't feel like they were missing out, and that sense of gratitude has stuck with Dr. Park ever since.
When it came time for college, Dr. Park didn't start out with dreams of dental school. In fact, he was an engineering major first—medicine wasn't even on his radar. "I didn't think I was smart enough to do anything medical," he remembers. But while he was hitting the books in engineering, his younger brother was diving into dentistry, sparking Dr. Park's own interest in the field. Yet money was still an issue. Dr. Park shared, "We were considered international students, so we didn't qualify for any financial aid. We didn't qualify for anything. So Mom and Dad had to find a way to send two boys to college, paying out-of-state tuition and not living in dorms for four years each. And somehow, some way they did it. We never felt that we were missing out on stuff. I look back at it now and think how the heck did they do that?"
As he moved forward with dentistry, the journey wasn't easy. Getting into dental school took him three rounds of applications. In the first two rounds, he was rejected by every school he applied to—23 on the first try and 27 on the second.
"I was married at the time. My wife was working, and I was not, but because I was an engineer for six years, I had a good amount of change saved up and could focus on dental school. After the rejection of the 27 schools, I almost gave up. Being a husband and not working, it just doesn't feel good. So the third time I applied, I thought, 'You know what? I'm all in.' I only applied to one school. I told God that I would help as many people as I could if I got the opportunity. Well, I got in," he said with a smile.
Dr. Park's story is about more than just determination; it's also about giving back. He was inspired early on by his wife, who he watched put her family first when her mother got sick. She had been successful from a young age, even buying a house before she turned 22. But when her mother needed help, she didn't hesitate to sell her house and car and put everything she had into her family's care. Watching her selflessness taught Dr. Park a valuable lesson about using what you have to help others—and it's something he's carried with him into his dental practice.
Today, Dr. Park sees his work as more than just taking care of teeth; he sees it as an opportunity to help those who might not have access to the care they need. "I think of it more as 'if I don't do it, then I'm withholding something from another human.' As a man of faith, God has given me this opportunity, this ability, and this platform to provide this type of service to people," he tells us.
He's especially aware that many people don't have dental insurance and often have to choose between treating a painful toothache or covering basic expenses. In his practice, he makes a point to lend a hand to those genuinely trying to improve their lives, especially those who do their best to pay what they can, no matter how small. To Dr. Park, that shows real character and a desire to better themselves, and he's more than willing to support them however he can.
Dr. Park isn't giving out free dental work to everyone who asks, but he's always looking to help where he can. For him, it's about recognizing the good in people, supporting their efforts, and making a difference. His journey reminds us that success isn't just about reaching personal goals—it's also about using your success to lift others up along the way.
Dr. Park's story isn't just about his achievements as a dentist; it's about the values that shape his practice and the generosity he brings to every patient he meets.
