Our story began with Dr. Chaun Moon Hung, a native of Guandgong Province, who had a dream of being educated in America. At the tender age of 13, he embarked on a long journey by sea, across the Pacific Ocean, and by land, across the continental United States, eventually reaching Philadelphia, where he became the first person of Chinese heritage to be accepted to the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry. He graduated in 1899, and by 1901 had returned to Hong Kong to start his practice on the bustling Queen’s Road Central. As the first university-trained, officially registered Chinese dentist in Hong Kong, his practice attracted a large clientele of both European and Chinese elites.

He was succeeded by his son, Dr. Kenneth Kwok Wing Chaun, who also attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry, graduating in 1925. The younger Dr. Chaun moved his father’s practice to the elegant Art Deco style old HSBC headquarters, and subsequently invited his nephew, Dr. Philip Po Cheung Chan, also a University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry graduate in 1955, to join his practice.

With the imminent redevelopment of the HSBC building, Dr. Chan relocated the prestigious practice to Takshing House, and brought in Dr. William Wai Man Cheung soon after he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1981, with a Certificate of General Practice Residency in 1982. Upon taking over in 1994, Dr. Cheung moved into a spacious office at China Building, in the heart of Central, and gradually expanded the practice to include various specialists. Dr. Cheung’s vision was to provide a place where a patient’s oral health needs could be managed all under one roof, prioritizing preventive treatment performed by caring professionals in a comfortable environment.

Having seen the impeccable example set by her father, from a young age Dr. Stefani Li Lin Cheung knew that dentistry was her lifelong calling. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 2011 and subsequently obtaining a Master of Dental Surgery in Implant Dentistry at the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Dentistry, she joined the practice in 2014.

In 2020, the practice welcomed Dr. Steven Koon Ming Poon, who completed his dual specialty training in Periodontics and Prosthodontics, as well as a Master’s degree, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. This marks 5 generations of Penn Dental graduates, with a legacy of over 120 years in practice!

The University of Pennsylvania is known to be one of the Ivy League institutions in the U.S. with an outstanding reputation in academic excellence. Its School of Dental Medicine (formerly School of Dentistry) is also recognized as one of the best schools in the world in both education and research. Dr. William Cheung remains actively involved at Penn Dental, having served as Chair of the Board of Advisors for over 10 years. He also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania for two terms and is now an Emeritus Trustee. He has received the Alumni Awards of Merit both from the School of Dental Medicine and the University. Dr. Stefani Cheung currently serves on the Dean’s Council of Penn Dental, and received the Young Alumni Award of Merit in 2021.

We are proud to continue the Penn Dental legacy from generation to generation for over a century and carry out its philosophy in comprehensive and preventive care in oral health.

*Image credit to: Gwulo