The two doctors from Dental Designs of White Marsh share their personal routine for taking care of their teeth and explain how they make their practice stand out in a competitive field.

P: Tell us a little bit about yourself
Dr. Santos: I was born in the Philippines and immigrated with my parents and my older sister when I was just 5 years old. I attended Joppa View Elementary, Perry Hall Middle, and Perry Hall High school before finishing college at University of Maryland College Park. I finished my graduate degree at UMBC in Biotechnology before heading to University of Maryland School of Dentistry for my doctorate degree. In my spare time I enjoy traveling, arts/crafts, crossfit, workouts and trying new foods.

Dr. Weng: I am originally from Pittsburgh, PA where I lived until I finished high school. I moved to Maryland to attend University of Maryland College Park, going on to attend University of Maryland School of Dentistry immediately thereafter. Having spent so many years in Maryland, I decided that I loved it too much to move back, so here I am! I enjoy weight lifting, trying new craft beers, watching football, and spending time with my dog Oscar.

P: What is your morning routine?
Dr. Santos: I generally like to workout most mornings, so I’ll have a banana and a cup of water, then head straight to the gym. After a quick shower, I head over to the office. Usually, I find myself being a speedy gonzalez because my commute to work is 40min and I have to beat the traffic!
Dr. Weng: I tend to stay up pretty late, so I generally cherish those last few minutes of zzzs I get in the morning. As a bit of a health nut, every morning I make myself a protein shake with peanut butter, flaxseed, and hemp hearts. Then I’ll pack lunch for Oscar and I, then bring him to doggie day care on most days of the week.

P: How are you involved in the community?
Dr. Santos: Both Dr. Weng and I grew up in the Perry Hall/White Marsh area. I myself spent most of my time in school here. When I was younger I was in the Perry Hall Marching Band, we participated in a lot of the community events for holiday parades. Now that we’ve both started working in the area we participate actively with the community by writing for The Avenue, our articles with the patch of course, and you’ll find us at the Town fair this November 14th at the Crossroads of 95. We both hold several causes dear to our hearts and volunteer at events for TeamSmile and Mission of Mercy, which provides free dental care for underserved children and adults, support domestic violence awareness, and participate with the Leukemia and Lymphoma society for annual fundraisers. Currently we are partnering up with Operation Gratitude to do a Halloween candy buy back! The candy that gets donated to our office gets placed in care packages for our troops overseas, with toothbrushes of course!

P: If you had to recommend three books what would they be and why?
Dr. Santos: I would have to say A Purpose Driven Life, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, andPride and Prejudice. I enjoyed A Purpose Driven Life because it allowed me to take a spiritual journey of my own, giving me a blueprint and a focus for living my life day to day. Lord of the Rings Trilogy because who doesn’t enjoy a fantasy read? Especially ones that teach the importance of friendship, loyalty, and honesty. Lastly, Pride and Prejudice, because everyone needs a good romance novel!
Dr. Weng: These days I stick mostly to online publications. I like to catch up on the news and with the upcoming election, there’s always plenty to read. If I had to pick a few favorite books, they would be Wind-up Bird Chronicle from Haruki Murakami, 2666 from Roberto Bolano, and House of Leaves from Mark Z. Danielewski.

P: What foods or drinks should people avoid to avoid tooth decay?
There are really 5 main categories of foods you want to stay away from!
-Hard or chewy candies that stay in your mouth for an extended period of time
-Refined carbohydrates like pastas, breads, crackers, or chips
-Carbonated soda drinks, especially the full sugar versions
-Fruit juices
-Acidic foods like lemons or other citrus fruits
Source: http://patch.com/maryland/essex/dental-hygiene-tips-dr-nina-cecilia-santos-dr-liangkai-weng-dental-designs-white-marsh
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