Three specialists under one roof, advanced technology, and a 5.0-star reputation — dental care built around you, not around limitations
Walk into most dental offices and you will find a single general dentist handling everything from cleanings to crowns. That model works for routine care, but it breaks down the moment a patient needs something beyond one person's training. A general dentist placing implants is not the same as a board-certified periodontist who spent three additional years learning the surgical techniques, bone biology, and soft tissue management that determine whether an implant lasts five years or a lifetime.
The Loft Dental Studio takes a fundamentally different approach. Instead of one practitioner stretching across every discipline, three doctors collaborate — each working within the specialty they trained for.
This structure produces results that a single-doctor office simply cannot replicate. When a patient needs a dental implant, Dr. Ahn surgically places it with the precision of a specialist who does this every day, and Dr. Lu designs the crown that sits on top — matched to the patient's bite, facial proportions, and aesthetic goals. When someone wants a smile makeover with porcelain veneers, Dr. Ahn can reshape the gum line first so the veneers sit at the ideal height, and Dr. Lu fabricates them to exacting standards. The entire sequence happens in the same office, with shared digital records, coordinated treatment plans, and no referrals to outside specialists. Patients save time, avoid redundant imaging, and get better outcomes because their doctors are literally in the next room talking to each other.
Dental credentials vary enormously, and most patients have no easy way to distinguish meaningful qualifications from marketing language. At The Loft Dental Studio, the credentials are specific, verifiable, and earned through some of the most competitive training pathways in dentistry.
Inaugural 2-year GPR at Yale, then UCLA-affiliated periodontics residency. Dr. Ahn was the first-ever resident of Yale-New Haven Hospital's inaugural two-year General Practice Residency — a program designed to provide double the training of a standard one-year GPR, covering both advanced surgical and prosthodontic disciplines. He was named Chief Resident and Resident of the Year. He then completed his three-year periodontics specialty residency at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, a UCLA-affiliated program where he again served as Chief Resident. Five total years of post-doctoral training at institutions where complex cases are the norm, not the exception.
Board certification by the American Board of Periodontology. After completing residency, Dr. Ahn voluntarily pursued board certification — a multi-stage examination process that fewer than half of practicing periodontists complete. Board certification requires passing a rigorous written exam, an oral defense of complex clinical cases before a panel of examiners, and ongoing continuing education. It is the highest credential the specialty recognizes.
UCLA faculty appointment. Dr. Ahn serves on the clinical faculty at UCLA, where he teaches periodontics and implant dentistry to the next generation of dental professionals. A faculty role at a top-tier program signals that his peers regard his clinical skills and knowledge as worthy of training others.
Six years under former AAP President Dr. Joan Otomo-Corgel. After completing his residency training, Dr. Ahn served as the sole associate of Dr. Joan Otomo-Corgel — former president of the American Academy of Periodontology and recipient of the AAP Gold Medal, the highest honor in the specialty — for six years until her retirement after 40 years of private practice. That extended mentorship under one of periodontics' most decorated clinicians provided Dr. Ahn with a depth of real-world surgical refinement that no residency alone can replicate. Combined with over 5,000 dental implants placed throughout his career, Dr. Ahn's clinical experience spans the full complexity spectrum of periodontal and implant surgery.
Combined 30+ years of specialist experience. Between Dr. Ahn, Dr. Lu, and Dr. Filipenka, The Loft Dental Studio brings over three decades of combined clinical experience spanning periodontics, prosthodontics, and general dentistry. This depth means the team has managed virtually every clinical scenario — from straightforward single-tooth restorations to complex full-mouth rehabilitations involving bone grafting, implants, and comprehensive cosmetic work.
Advanced technology does not replace clinical skill, but it multiplies it. The Loft Dental Studio invests in diagnostic and treatment technology that improves precision, reduces recovery time, and gives patients a clearer understanding of their own oral health.
CBCT 3D cone beam imaging. Traditional dental X-rays are two-dimensional. CBCT scanning produces a full three-dimensional model of the jawbone, teeth, nerves, and sinuses. Dr. Ahn uses this data to plan implant placement with sub-millimeter accuracy, to evaluate bone volume before grafting procedures, and to diagnose conditions that flat X-rays miss entirely.
PerioLase MVP-7 for LANAP. The PerioLase MVP-7 is the only laser system FDA-cleared for true regeneration of the attachment between gum and bone. Dr. Ahn uses this technology for LANAP laser gum surgery, which treats periodontal disease without scalpel incisions or sutures. Patients experience less bleeding, less swelling, and faster recovery compared to traditional osseous surgery.
Digital smile design. Before beginning cosmetic work, the team can show patients a digital preview of their projected results. This collaborative design process ensures alignment between the patient's expectations and the clinical plan before any irreversible steps are taken.
Digital periodontal charting. Every pocket depth measurement, recession reading, and bleeding point is recorded electronically and tracked over time. This creates a precise longitudinal record that reveals trends — whether a patient's gum health is improving, stable, or needs intervention — far more effectively than paper charts or memory. Patients can see their own data, compare readings across visits, and understand exactly how their treatment is progressing.
The Loft Dental Studio operates from two offices designed to make specialist-quality care accessible to patients across Orange County.
3151 Airway Ave, Suite F-103, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | Phone: (714) 549-7030
The Costa Mesa office is the primary surgical center, equipped for the full scope of procedures: dental implants, LANAP laser gum surgery, bone grafting and regeneration, Wilckodontics (accelerated orthodontics), periodontal surgery, gum grafting, crown lengthening, cosmetic dentistry, and comprehensive general dentistry. CBCT 3D imaging and the PerioLase MVP-7 laser are housed here.
1007 W La Palma Ave, Suite 5, Anaheim, CA 92801 | Phone: (714) 776-7132
The Anaheim location provides general and cosmetic dentistry services for patients in northern Orange County. Exams, cleanings, whitening, bonding, veneers, and restorative work are all available here.
The same doctors rotate between both locations, so patients receive the same standard of care regardless of which office they visit. Advanced surgical procedures — implant placement, bone grafting, LANAP, and periodontal surgery — are performed at the Costa Mesa flagship, where the full surgical infrastructure supports optimal outcomes.
The Loft Dental Studio holds a 5.0-star rating on Google with more than 120 reviews. That perfect score is not a statistical anomaly — it reflects a practice culture built around thoroughness, transparency, and patient comfort. Review after review highlights the same themes: gentle care even during complex surgical procedures, thorough explanations that help patients understand their diagnosis and options, honest recommendations that prioritize long-term health over unnecessary treatment, and the reassurance that comes from knowing a board-certified specialist is performing the work.
Beyond Google, The Loft Dental Studio maintains a strong presence on Yelp (32+ reviews) and is listed across more than ten professional directories including Healthgrades, Zocdoc, RealSelf, and Vitals. Consistent high ratings across independent platforms confirm what individual reviews describe — this is a practice that delivers results patients feel compelled to write about.
Patients frequently mention the collaborative model as a distinguishing factor. Having a periodontist and a prosthodontist working together in the same office eliminates the fragmented experience common in dentistry, where patients shuttle between offices, repeat imaging, and navigate conflicting recommendations. At The Loft Dental Studio, the treatment plan is unified and the communication is immediate. Several reviewers also note the practice's willingness to explain complex procedures in terms they can understand — taking the time to educate, not just treat.
Most dental practices operate with a single general dentist handling every aspect of care. When a patient needs something beyond that dentist's training — an implant, a bone graft, a complex crown on a periodontally compromised tooth — they are referred to an outside specialist. The patient drives to a different office, fills out new paperwork, waits for records to be transferred, and then hopes that the two doctors communicate effectively about the treatment plan. Often, they do not. The referring dentist and the specialist may have different philosophies, different timelines, and different expectations for the outcome. The patient becomes the messenger between two offices that may never speak directly.
At The Loft Dental Studio, this fragmented model does not exist. Three specialists — a board-certified periodontist, a cosmetic dentist, and a board-certified prosthodontist — work under the same roof, share the same digital records, and coordinate treatment plans in real time. The person who places your dental implant (Dr. Ahn) works daily with the person designing the crown that sits on top of it (Dr. Lu). The dentist who evaluates your gum health before cosmetic work (Dr. Ahn) is in the next room from the dentist designing your veneers (Dr. Filipenka). There is no referral slip, no waiting for faxed records, no conflicting treatment recommendations.
This in-house collaboration produces measurably better outcomes. When Dr. Ahn places an implant, he already knows the exact position and angulation that Dr. Lu needs for the ideal restoration — because they planned it together at the same computer, looking at the same 3D scan. When Dr. Filipenka identifies a patient who wants a smile makeover, Dr. Ahn can evaluate the periodontal foundation that same day, in the same chair, and they can build a unified treatment plan before the patient leaves the office. There is no delay, no duplication of imaging, and no gaps in communication.
For patients, the three-specialist advantage translates to fewer appointments, faster treatment timelines, lower total costs (no redundant imaging or consultations), and the confidence that comes from knowing every aspect of their care is coordinated by doctors who see each other every day. It is the difference between a dental office and a dental team — and it is the reason that complex cases at Loft Dental produce results that single-doctor practices struggle to match.
Technology at The Loft Dental Studio is not a decorative feature or a marketing bullet point. Every piece of equipment in the practice was selected because it directly improves a specific clinical outcome for patients.
CBCT 3D cone beam imaging produces a full three-dimensional model of the jawbone, teeth, nerves, and sinuses. Dr. Ahn uses this data to plan implant placement with sub-millimeter precision, to evaluate bone volume before grafting, and to diagnose fractures, infections, and anatomical variations that conventional two-dimensional X-rays miss entirely. For patients, this means fewer surprises during surgery, more accurate diagnoses, and treatment plans built on complete anatomical data rather than estimates.
Digital surgical guides translate the 3D implant plan into a physical guide that snaps onto the patient's teeth during surgery. The guide controls the exact position, angle, and depth of each implant, eliminating freehand variation and ensuring that the implant ends up precisely where the digital plan specified. The result is faster surgery, less tissue disruption, and a predictable outcome that matches the pre-surgical simulation.
PRF (Platelet-Rich Fibrin) therapy uses the patient's own blood, drawn chairside and centrifuged into a concentrated fibrin matrix rich in growth factors and white blood cells. This biologic material is placed into surgical sites to accelerate healing, reduce post-operative pain and swelling, and improve the quality of bone and soft tissue regeneration. Because PRF is autologous — derived from the patient's own body — there is no risk of rejection or allergic reaction.
Exosome therapy represents the next generation of regenerative medicine in dentistry. Exosomes are signaling molecules that promote cellular repair and tissue regeneration at the molecular level. Dr. Ahn incorporates exosome therapy into selected surgical cases to enhance healing outcomes beyond what PRF alone can achieve.
The PerioLase MVP-7 is the only laser system FDA-cleared for true regeneration of the periodontal attachment. Dr. Ahn uses it for LANAP laser gum surgery, treating moderate to severe gum disease without scalpels, sutures, or the gum recession that traditional surgery often causes. For patients, this means less pain, faster recovery, and the scientifically documented ability to regenerate bone that was previously lost to periodontal disease.
The Loft Dental Studio is a private dental practice, not a corporate chain. There is no assembly line, no rotating cast of unfamiliar dentists, and no pressure to keep appointments short so the next patient can be moved in. When you are in the chair, you have the full, undivided attention of your doctor for as long as your treatment requires.
This distinction matters more than most patients realize until they experience it. At chain dental offices and large group practices, the business model depends on volume — seeing as many patients as possible in a day. Appointments are compressed. Complex cases are rushed. Doctors may be incentivized to recommend treatments that generate revenue rather than treatments that serve the patient's long-term interest. At Loft Dental, the model is the opposite: fewer patients per day, longer appointments, and the clinical freedom to recommend what is actually best — even when "best" means monitoring a tooth rather than treating it.
The office itself reflects this philosophy. The Costa Mesa flagship is designed for patient comfort and privacy, not maximum throughput. Consultations are unhurried. Questions are answered thoroughly. Treatment plans are explained in plain language with visual aids, digital images, and 3D scans so you understand not just what is being recommended, but why. Saturday hours are available for patients whose weekday schedules make dental visits difficult. Free parking is provided at both the Costa Mesa and Anaheim locations. And the front office team verifies your insurance benefits before you arrive, so there are no financial surprises after treatment.
The result is a dental experience that patients consistently describe in their reviews: personal, thorough, and genuinely caring. The Loft Dental Studio's 5.0-star Google rating across 133 reviews is not an accident — it is the natural outcome of a practice designed around the patient, not around the schedule.
A first appointment at The Loft Dental Studio is designed to be thorough, informative, and entirely free of pressure. The visit begins with a comprehensive examination that includes digital imaging and, when indicated, 3D CBCT scanning to evaluate bone levels and structural anatomy. Dr. Filipenka, Dr. Ahn, or Dr. Lu — depending on the nature of your concern — will review the findings with you in plain language and present a clear treatment plan with all available options, expected timelines, and transparent cost information.
There is no pressure to commit on the spot. Many patients come to The Loft Dental Studio specifically for a second opinion, and the team welcomes that. An honest assessment of whether you actually need treatment — and which treatment offers the best long-term value — is the foundation of the trust that drives the practice's 5.0-star reputation. If treatment is recommended, you will receive a written plan that explains each phase, its purpose, and its cost before any work begins.
The front office team verifies insurance benefits before your appointment so you understand your coverage upfront. For patients without insurance or those considering extensive treatment, financing options are available. The goal is to eliminate surprises — financial and clinical — so you can make decisions with confidence.
Schedule a consultation with our specialist team. Call Costa Mesa at (714) 549-7030 or Anaheim at (714) 776-7132.
Schedule Your Appointment