Carter S. Yokoyama, D.D.S.
78-6831 Alii Drive,
Suite K-11
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

Toll Free: (866) 790-4910
Fax: (808) 322-0712

Practice Information

About Our Practice

Welcome to our practice. Here you will experience cosmetic dentistry at its highest level. Whether you desire a complete smile makeover or are simply looking for the best dentist to meet your needs, this is the place for you.

Our purpose is to provide patients with a state-of-the-art dental practice that offers the highest quality comprehensive dental care possible in a safe, gentle and caring environment. We treat each of our patients with courtesy, respect and honesty and respect their individual goals and desires. We want you to enjoy your visits and feel happy, healthy and satisfied with our services.

In order to fulfill our mission, we promise:

  • To stay on the leading edge of dental technology through continuing education.
  • To be on time for your appointments and to keep you informed of any potential delays.
  • To provide you with excellent dental care and make you as comfortable as possible during your visits.
  • To offer you the individual time and attention you deserve. We will listen to your goals and work with you to accomplish them.
  • To protect you by adhering to a high standard of infection control and sterilization protocol.
  • To only recommend treatment options that we would choose for ourselves or our loved ones.
  • To help you keep your teeth beautiful and healthy for a lifetime.

We invite you to take a tour of our office, meet Dr. Yokoyama, and discover the amazing possibilities that cosmetic dentistry has to offer.

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Meet Dr. Yokoyama

Dr. Carter S. Yokoyama grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii where he graduated from Punahou School in 1984. He completed both his undergraduate studies and dental school at the University of Washington, in Seattle. He graduated from the UW School of Dentistry in 1992 and is licensed to practice in both Hawaii and Washington. Dr. Yokoyama is an active member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and American Dental Association. He also is a graduate of Pac-live, the Pacific Aesthetic Continuum, the Seattle Institute for Advanced Dental Education and The Hornbrook Group. Each year Dr. Yokoyama attends numerous hours of advanced education to keep on the leading edge of dentistry and stay current with the latest materials and procedures available.

Dr. Yokoyama also donates his time and talents to the Donated Dental Services Program, a humanitarian service for disabled, elderly and medically compromised people, as well as the Give Back a Smile Program, which helps restore smiles to victims of domestic violence. In 2003 and 2007 Dr. Yokoyama was selected as one of America's Top Dentists for cosmetic dentistry by the Consumers' Research Council of America.

In his spare time, Dr. Yokoyama is an avid surfer and football fan. He also enjoys free diving, hiking, traveling and especially spending time with his wife, Heather, and daughter, Tavi. He lives and works on a coffee farm in Captain Cook, HI which produces 100% gourmet Kona coffee.

"We always strive to provide the highest quality of care possible because that is what I believe our patients deserve. We continually improve our techniques and service through continuing education and training. I keep up to date on the latest developments in dental materials, techniques and procedures in order to provide state of the art dentistry. Our greatest thrill in dentistry is to give a patient the beautiful smile that they have always dreamed of and help them maintain that healthy beautiful smile for a lifetime."

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Meet Our Team

Our team of dental professionals is dedicated to providing you with an exceptional experience during your visits. They are dynamic, hard working, professional and friendly and care deeply about our patients.

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Sterilization Protocol

If you are like most people, you are probably conscious of the need for cleanliness, disinfection and sterility in daily life as well in the dental office. Through years of intensive and ongoing training, dental professionals have learned and adopted techniques of infection control, which have become second nature to them.

Our office is committed to TOTAL health and safety and adheres rigorously to the highest standards of prevention to protect you. For each individual patient, we use a wide range of disposable items, including gloves, masks, needles, paper drapes and tray covers, as well as plastic and foil barriers to protect against cross-contamination (spread of germs). Every patient is assured of a completely new and sterile set of these items.

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Our Philosophy on Silver Amalgam Fillings

A number of years ago Dr. Yokoyama decided to stop placing amalgam fillings into patient's mouths. This was due to a number of factors based on physical properties, strength and the effect amalgam has on healthy tooth structure. New materials based on adhesive dentistry offer a superior option that is stronger and more aesthetically appealing than metal fillings. Here are a few of the reasons we feel that amalgam is an inferior material.

1. Amalgams contain mercury!

Although there are many studies that prove there is no health risk associated with amalgam fillings and they have been used for decades without causing any major problems, mercury is a very toxic poison and any increase of mercury levels in body tissues, however slight, should warrant concern.

2. Amalgams are unattractive!

As amalgam ages it corrodes and turns black, staining the tooth and causing it to appear dark and gray from the front. This may make it necessary to remove healthy tooth structure in the future to restore the tooth to a more natural appearance. Composite resin fillings disappear into the surrounding tooth structure and become practically invisible.

3. Amalgams break teeth!

Amalgam fillings slowly expand over time, causing stress on the tooth and often leads to tooth fractures. In addition, amalgams are held into teeth by mechanical retention, being wedged into sharp angles and undercuts within the tooth. This increases the risk of breaking a tooth through normal chewing. With state-of-the-art bonding technology and stronger materials, bonded restorations help to hold teeth together rather than wedge them apart.

4. Amalgams leak, causing recurrent decay!

Because amalgam fillings do not bond to tooth structure, there is a microscopic gap between the filling and the tooth. This gap provides a pathway for bacteria and acids to seep in between the tooth and filling, causing decay. In fact, Dr. Yokoyama finds decay under almost every amalgam he removes! Left untreated, this decay will destroy healthy tooth structure and may result in the need for root canal treatment or tooth removal. Since amalgams stain the tooth dark and can block out cavities on x-rays, early signs of micro-leakage are often undetectable. Composite resin fillings actually bond to the tooth structure, creating a seal between the tooth and filling. This seal reduces micro-leakage and increases the life of the filling.

5. Amalgams have lower wear than correctly-placed composite resin fillings!

The key phrase here is "correctly placed." Correct placement of composite fillings requires attention to detail and a thorough understanding of the properties of the materials being used. Dr. Yokoyama keeps up to date on the latest materials and techniques and takes the time to properly place composite fillings to ensure a high quality, strong restorations.

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