global dental ambassadors
A 501(c)(3) non-for profit charitable organization supporting a community of health volunteers who serve the world by sharing and exchanging oral health knowledge & culture
The Global Dental Ambassadors group (GDA) is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization which is a grass-roots and volunteer led and driven group of dental professionals who share the mission to participate in academic and cultural exchanges among oral health professionals and institutions around the globe.
GDA is not sponsored by any third-parity institutions and is organized solely as a community of volunteers who wish to participate on academic/cultural missions at host organizations throughout the world.
The GDA Google Group forum is intended to serve as the platform for communication and members can post questions, comments, and information regarding the general activity for the GDA community.
Please note that unique GDA Group Forums are created for specific mission trips to various countries and institutions. You may send a request to join the forum by clicking the button below.
GDA is not sponsored by any third-parity institutions and is organized solely as a community of volunteers who wish to participate on academic/cultural missions at host organizations throughout the world.
The GDA Google Group forum is intended to serve as the platform for communication and members can post questions, comments, and information regarding the general activity for the GDA community.
Please note that unique GDA Group Forums are created for specific mission trips to various countries and institutions. You may send a request to join the forum by clicking the button below.
board of directors
DR. LYNN FUJIMOTO, General Secretary
Dr. Lynn Fujimoto attended Washington University School of Dental Medicine and received her D.M.D. in 1979. She completed a post doctorate residency in Pediatric Dentistry at University of California, Los Angeles in 1981. She has current dental licenses in Hawaii and California. She was in private practice for over 31 years at Pediatric Dentistry Associates in Pearl City, Hawaii. As a partner at Pediatric Dentistry Associates, she performed primary dental care as well as managed the dental service and facility. In 2009 she became the Associate Director of the NYU Lutheran Medical Center Pediatric Dentistry Program, Hawaii Site and in 2012 she transitioned to this position full time. Dr. Fujimoto has been a supervising faculty member and employee of the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center. Dr. Fujimoto has been involved in organized dentistry over the past thirty years, showing the ability to handle multiple tasks of private practice along with serving in volunteer organizations. She is currently the Immediate Past President of the Hawaii Dental Association and has served as Secretary, Treasurer and member of the Board of Trustees. She is the President of the Hawaii Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and past president of the Western Society of Pediatric Dentistry and received the Lewis A. Kay Award from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in May 2015 for outstanding Leadership and Education. Dr. Fujimoto has been awarded Fellowship in the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists and the Academy of Dentistry International. Dr. Fujimoto has been committed to serving on medical missions to Ecuador, Guatemala and the Philippines. |
DR. OARIONA LOWE, Comptroller
Dr. Oariona Lowe is a board certified pediatric dentist and a Diplomate and Fellow of the American Board of Pediatric Dentists. Dr. Lowe is the Immediate Past President of the Western Society of Pediatric Dentists and a past-President of the California Society of Pediatric Dentistry. She is currently a CDA Trustee representing the Tri-County Dental Society in California. As a Trustee for the Healthy Smiles Healthy Children Foundation of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry she has been working to provide Dental Homes to all children. Dr. Lowe received her post-graduate training in Pediatric Dentistry from the UCLA School of Dentistry. She completed a General Practice Residency at the world-renowned Eastman Dental Center which is currently a department of the University of Rochester, in Rochester, New York. Her dental degree was received from Howard University, Washington, D.C. Prior to private practice, Dr. Lowe was the Chief of Dental Services at the City of Hope Medical Center, in Duarte, CA. Her experiences at the City of Hope and the EDC-GPR program, along with her UCLA hospital internship influenced her passion in working with patients with special needs. She has been in private practice for over 28 years. Her recent interests include volunteerism and international outreach. She assists with various dental and medical missions around the world providing oral care to underserved populations with a focus on public health. |
DR. BRIAN LU, Vice-President
Dr. Brian Lu has been practicing dentistry since 2012. He attended University of Maryland School of Dentistry and completed his specialty training in endodontics at NYU Langone Hospital, Brooklyn. As an Endodontist he believes in practicing the highest standard of patient care and to help create a positive and comfortable root canal experience. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, camping and spending time with friends and family. He also enjoys watching and playing tennis. |
DR. DAVID OKUJI, Executive Director
Dr. Okuji received his dental education at the University of California, Los Angeles and pediatric dentistry specialty certification at the University of Southern California. He also has an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley-Haas School of Business and earned a Master of Science degree in health care management from the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Okuji practiced as an associate pediatric dentist in Northern California for 5 years and then practiced for Saudi-ARAMCO, an international oil company for the next 5 years. After repatriating to the U.S., he was the principal of a multi-dentist, multi-specialty practice for 24 years in California. He currently operates a dental practice consulting company and serves as the Senior Associate Director-Extramural & Special Projects for the NYU Langone Hospitals-Division of Dental Medicine. In addition to his practice management experience, Dr. Okuji is an educator and public health advocate. He is also board certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, as a Diplomate of the National Board of Public Health; and serves as an Instructor in Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, part-time, at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Okuji has been influenced by his participation in the Harvard Business School's Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness model for value-based health care delivery and his primary academic interests are in value-based health care systems and global public health. |