2008 40 Under 40 Honoree: Samson Liu

Liu is part owner of Affordable Dentistry, president of Heartland Dental Care of Missouri, and clinical director of operations for Heartland Dental Care.

“As a full-time licensed dentist, I provide lifetime dental care for children and families,” he says. “As the clinical director of Heartland Dental Care, I teach, coach and mentor hundreds of licensed professional dentists on clinical skills, leadership and patient communication.”

Job satisfaction comes from the enhanced confidence Liu’s work gives others through dental improvements.He cites his work with underprivileged children as some of the most rewarding.

“I think (it) is extremely important, especially in teenagers,” Liu says. “They are at an age where they are extremely smile-conscious. Many of these underprivileged kids are recovering from abuse and have low self-esteem. Anything to help them have confidence is positive."

Liu’s free services are provided both through his office and through The Kitchen’s clinic.

Liu cites his work with some of Missouri’s beauty queens as personally satisfying.

Word has gotten around that Liu services winning smiles, including those of Natalene Sipes, Miss Missouri America 2004 and 2006 Miss Springfield Jennifer Bittinger.

“We have done things as small as giving them a whiter smile with bleaching to more extensive works to full restorative, again to boost that self confidence when they smile at the judges,” Liu says. “Once you have worked on one of the contestants, word spreads about what you have done and more come to you. Most of them have gone on to win titles; I was lucky to be a part of it.”

Since graduating from Northwestern University Dental School in 1999, Liu has completed numerous continuing education courses, and he says he’s practiced the CANI philosophy – constant and never-ending improvement.

For his efforts, he was awarded the Fellowship of the Academy of General Dentistry Award in 2004, and this year, he received Mastership of the Academy of General Dentistry honors.

Double Play

Birth date: Dec. 12, 1973

Family: My wife, Karen, who is also a dentist, and I have been married for five years. She is from St. Louis originally and her parents still live there, so we visit often. We have two really cute boys. Simon is the best big brother ever. At 3, he likes trains, cars and planes and all things that move. He also loves his baby brother, Oliver, who in turn, is the best baby brother ever. At 8 months old, he likes to smile and wave ... to everybody, and he wants to see Simon first thing every morning when he wakes up.

Philosophy to live/work by: To make a difference in somebody else’s life every single day, whether it is my family, friends, people I work with or patients. If I can make even a small difference to somebody every day, then maybe they will in turn make a difference in their own circle of friends.

In a fantasy world, which professional sport would you play? I played a lot of beach volleyball while attending dental school in Chicago.

Information accurate at the time of the honor.[[In-content Ad]]