Father and 2 kids leading the way at Fresno dental office

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's not common to hear laughing in a dental office, but at Shinkawa Dental, it seems to be included at every appointment.

What can be a scary experience for some has become enjoyable because of the family that makes up Shinkawa Dental.

Meet Dr. Gerry, his wife, Sandra and their two kids, Dr. Nicole and Dr. Adam.

Dr. Gerry opened his practice in 1977.

He exposed his kids to dentistry at a young age, so it wasn't a huge surprise when they wanted to follow in his footsteps.

"That was my proudest moment when the kids told me they were interested in dentistry," Dr. Gerry said. "They got their dental degree, and they started practicing with me."

The trio serves the Central Valley with kindness and an experience, some patients say, they can't find anywhere else.

"It always felt personal," says Leslie Kelly. "It never was, 'Okay, I'm just here to service you and fix your teeth.'"

Kelly has been a patient at Shinkawa for about 20 years. It's where she brought her children, and her children -- now adults -- bring their kids here.

That's something the Shinkawas don't take lightly.

"Especially since my dad started the practice so many years ago, he has a lot of older people that grew the practice with him and we see their kids, and their kids' kids," Dr. Adam said. "We see three to four generations of multiple families."

The dentists also love to connect with the community through social media, sharing oral hygeine tips and showing off their dance moves.

"It's just a fun way to put a face to our names and make going to the dentist a fun experience," Dr. Nicole said. "They know who exactly they're going to see and they can see, 'Oh, they like having family parties. They like dancing and having a good time.'"

Their infectious spirit can also be felt outside the office, as Shinkawa Dental works with community organizations to provide free dental care to those in need.

With that passion and purpose, the Shinkawa family is excited to create more smiles for many more years in the Central Valley.

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