ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÍø

Dr. Tina Dillas

Tina Dillas grew up in Minot, North Dakota. She studied human biology at Rhodes College. She earned her DDS at University of California San Francisco in 2024. In her free time she enjoys hiking, playing tennis, and spending time with her friends and family.

Dr. Sophia DiPietro

Sophia DiPietro grew up in Carlsbad, California and graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Foods and Nutrition. She earned her DDS degree at the Dugoni School of Dentistry, where she learned to love the city of San Francisco. Despite being a first-generation dentist, Sophia has wanted to be an orthodontist since she was a little girl, and is extremely excited to be following her dreams at the Dugoni School! In her free time, Sophia enjoys morning coffee walks, yoga, hiking, cooking, and spending time with her fiancé, Brendan.

Dr. I-Hsien Kody Kuo

Kody Kuo was born and raised in Taiwan. At 15, he moved to the United States, where he later completed his undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at UCLA. In 2024, Kody earned his DDS degree from the UCLA School of Dentistry. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, visiting national parks, golfing, and playing soccer.

Dr. Cerjay Lugtu

Cerjay Lugtu was born and raised in La Mirada, California. His journey in education took him to UCLA, where he majored in biology, and then to the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, from which he graduated in 2024. During his free time, you'll likely find him at the gym or getting lost in a captivating fantasy book. He is also a passionate foodie with a mission to explore and document the best food spots in San Francisco using his Beli account. 

Dr. Mingi Park

Mingi Park was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. She spent her younger years in New Zealand and Canada before relocating to the United States. She attended  Johns Hopkins University and earned a Bachelors degree in Cognitive Science. Mingi completed her DDS training at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine in New York, where she served as a class president. Outside of clinic, Mingi enjoys traveling, snowboarding, and going to concerts & art exhibitions.

Dr. Ida Shaffer

Ida is a Northern Californian native, born and raised in Salinas before studying at UC Davis and ultimately earning her DDS/PhD at UCSF. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband, where they enjoy an active lifestyle of outdoor adventures, skiing in Tahoe, hiking, and enjoying Korean BBQ dinners with friends.

Dr. Tyler Starley

Tyler Starley grew up in Sparks, Nevada. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in 2020. After completing his undergraduate degree, Tyler joined the faculty at BYU as a professor of Human Anatomy and Physiology. It was in that role that he discovered his passion for education and teaching. It was also at BYU where he met Allie Jo, who would become the love of his life and whom he married in 2020. 

Tyler earned his Doctor of Dental Science degree from the Dugoni School of Dentistry in 2024. He and Allie Jo love living in San Francisco, where they spend their free time exploring the great outdoors with their Australian Shepherd, Poppy. They enjoy beach outings, hikes, rock climbing, pickleball, and attending baseball games. Tyler has also become a big foodie thanks to the amazing cuisine San Francisco has to offer.

Dr. Harrison Truman

Harrison Truman grew up in Henderson, Nevada. He completed his B.S. degree in Biostatistics at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where he met and married his now wife, Ruth in 2019. After finishing his bachelor's degree, Harrison earned his DDS degree at the ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÍø, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in 2024. Outside of school, he enjoys spending time with his wife as well as playing the piano, hiking, camping, and playing basketball and volleyball.

Dr. Nicolette Alvandian

Nicolette was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. She graduated from California Lutheran University in 2022, earning her Bachelor of Science in biology. She then moved to San Francisco to pursue her DDS at the Dugoni School of Dentistry. During her time in dental school, she was involved in tutoring and research and participated in various community outreach events. In her free time, she enjoys working out, reading, exploring restaurants, and spending time with her family. Nicolette is honored and excited to continue her education as part of the Dugoni family.

Dr. Tan Ballapapinan

Tan was born and raised in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He completed his secondary education at Geelong Grammar School in Australia and later earned his DDS degree from Mahidol University in Bangkok. Clinically, he completed rotations across several hospitals in Thailand as well as at Osaka University in Japan. Outside of dentistry, Tan loves traveling the world with his family and learning its history. He also enjoys playing tennis, gaming, and drinking wine.

Dr. Alex Cho

Alex was born and raised in Fullerton, California. He graduated from Northwestern University, earning his Bachelor of Arts in Biology. He went on to obtain his DDS at UCLA School of Dentistry. During his time in dental school, he was highly involved in student leadership, research, and serving as a Sunday school youth teacher at his local church. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, exploring new cafes, and watching Korean dramas/culinary shows. While in San Francisco, he’s looking forward to explore nature and to learn about wines in Napa Valley. Alex is incredibly honored to be a part of the Dugoni family and looks forward to joining in on the legacy he’s left behind. 

Dr. Audrey Eller

Audrey was born and raised in Chico, California. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Human Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. She then began her dental education at the ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÍø, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, where her passion for orthodontics grew significantly. Audrey is thrilled and proud to continue her training in orthodontics here, all while staying in her favorite city—San Francisco. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the city’s vibrant food scene and adventuring through the North Bay via hiking and biking. She also finds joy in practicing yoga and spending quality time with her loved ones. 

Dr. Chelsey Lin

Chelsey was born and raised in Irvine, California. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Health. Inspired by her passion for art and healthcare, she pursued her DDS degree at the University of California, San Francisco. During dental school, she was deeply involved in student organizations, community outreach events, and leadership roles that allowed her to support and connect with her peers.  Chelsey is the first in her family to become a dentist—and now, an orthodontist. She is honored to join the Dugoni family and excited to begin her residency here alongside such a talented and supportive community.  

Dr. Kimberly Lozano

Born and raised in Southern California, Kimberly received her BS in Psychobiology from UCLA in 2022. She moved up the coast to San Francisco, where she attended dental school at the Dugoni School and graduated in 2025. She is thrilled to continue her journey at Pacific and feels blessed to be a part of the class of 2027. In her free time, Kimberly loves spending time with her friends and family (including her two cats), traveling and pilates, and can always be found enjoying the outdoors whether it is hiking, surfing or yoga.

Dr. Eman Rafalian

Eman was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He completed his undergraduate studies at UCLA and went on to obtain his DDS degree from the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC in 2025. He’s thrilled and honored to be part of the Dugoni School family and excited to call San Francisco his new home. In his free time, you’ll likely find him at the gym, cheering on the Lakers or Dodgers at a local sports lounge, or sipping his way through San Francisco’s coffee scene one café at a time.

Dr. Susanna Zhu

Susanna grew up in and around Southern California. She completed her undergraduate studies at UCLA before going on to receive her DDS from the Dugoni School of Dentistry. During her time at the school, Suzi developed a strong interest in orthodontics and always dreamed of continuing her education specifically at the dental school's orthodontic program. She is thrilled and honored to remain part of the school and the city she loves. Outside of dentistry, Suzi enjoys finding new trails outdoors, going to concerts, enjoying good food, and relaxing with her cat.