Dr. Frank Sy
Periodontist
Dr. Frank Sy 絲傑仁 is a distinguished periodontist and dental educator whose career spans over 15 years of clinical practice, academic involvement, and significant contributions to dental care worldwide. A Fellow of both the Pierre Fauchard Academy (FPFA) and the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD), Dr. Sy has established a reputation as a leader in the field of periodontology and oral medicine.
Dr. Sy received his dental education from top-tier institutions. After completing his undergraduate studies in Biology at California State University, Los Angeles, through the Early Entrance Program, he earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree from Boston University’s Goldman School of Dental Medicine in 2009. Following this, he pursued a General Practice Residency at Montefiore Medical Center, where he honed his clinical skills before moving on to advanced training in periodontics. He completed a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Periodontics at New York University in 2015, which laid the foundation for his future expertise in periodontal surgery and implantology.
His pursuit of further education continued as he earned a Master of Science in Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine from the University of Southern California’s (USC) Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry in 2022.
Dr. Sy remains dedicated to ongoing education and is currently working towards becoming a Recognized Specialist and Graduate at the Kois Center and further advancing his skills at The Pankey Institute.
Dr. Sy is board-certified in periodontology as a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology (2016). His clinical practice focuses on periodontal disease management strategies, ranging from traditional periodontal therapies to personalized periodontal medicine, advanced implant dentistry, soft and hard tissue reconstruction, and the management of peri-implant diseases. He is highly skilled in minimally invasive techniques such as Pat Allen soft tissue grafting, VISTA, and the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique. His commitment to providing high-quality care extends to his expertise in managing periodontal disease, where he has developed a comprehensive periodontal dysbiosis management strategy and protocol.
This comprehensive periodontal dysbiosis management strategy is based on Thomas Van Dyke’s IMPEDE model and contains four major arms to achieve therapeutic success. Management of the dysbiosis involves elimination of dysbiotic periodontal pathogens and repopulation of a healthy oral flora. The management of dysregulated inflammation involves host modulation drugs and mediators, including doxycycline and resolvins.
Because this strategy involves “biohacking” the inflammation-mediated dysbiosis self-sustained feedforward loop (Van Dyke 2020), Dr. Sy has termed this protocol: Perio Biohacker.
As a volunteer adjunct assistant professor at USC since 2017, Dr. Sy is passionate about mentoring the next generation of dental professionals. He currently serves as Periodontist in the USC Special Patients Clinic and USC undergraduate dental clinic, performing periodontal procedures to the medically compromised and teaching 3rd/4th year dental students periodontal diagnosis and treatment planning. He has contributed to several academic presentations, including topics on periodontal medicine, periodontal therapies, ridge augmentation and bone regeneration. His scientific fields of interest and research focuses on inflammation, systemic involvement, and oral medicine. His recent work focused on the efficacy of alpha-lipoic acid in treating burning mouth syndrome. Dr. Sy has placed great emphasis on working with medical physicians to teach dentists the importance of interdisciplinary and interprofessional collaboration.
Dr. Sy is also a dedicated volunteer, having provided dental care through various global outreach initiatives. His involvement with organizations such as Buddhist Tzu-Chi Medical Foundation has taken him to locations across Southern California. He has previously traveled to South Africa and Taiwan for international outreach. He is committed to improving oral health in underserved populations, participating in disaster relief and community outreach efforts, and mentoring young professionals in these communities.
In addition to his clinical and academic work, Dr. Sy is an active participant in dental study clubs, continuing education, and professional organizations. He is a member of the American Academy of Periodontology, the Academy of Osseointegration, the American Board of Periodontology, and several international dental societies. He currently is the President-Elect for the Chinese American Dental Society of Southern California (CADSSC). His ongoing commitment to interdisciplinary learning and collaboration with colleagues in other specialties has further enriched his practice and expanded his impact in the field of periodontology.
With his broad range of clinical expertise, commitment to education, and passion for service, Dr. Sy hopes to continue to make a significant impact in both the academic and clinical worlds, earning the trust and admiration of his peers and patients alike.