Meet The Doctors

Mira Mesa Family Dentist - Jennifer Caruso, DMD, MAGD - Family Dentistry

Jennifer Caruso, DMD, MAGD

Dentist, Owner

Dr. Caruso, known to her patients as "Dr. Jenny or Jenny", grew up in a very small town in Eastern North Carolina. As a young child, Dr. Jenny had several influential dental experiences including root canal treatment and braces that quickly and easily inspired her to pursue dentistry. Also, as a young girl, Dr. Jenny remembers her father telling her that she was 'very meticulous' and that she could use this skill as a dentist. That idea stuck in her head as she studied at Kent School in Connecticut and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2000, Dr. Jenny spent a life-changing year as a volunteer in Tucson, Arizona working as an AmeriCorps leader. In 2006, she graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine with a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree.

Dr. Jenny is first and foremost passionate about helping people. The oral health goals for her patients are comprehensive in nature. She has a strong dedication to continuing education which allows her to better serve her patients. Dr. Jenny has achieved both the Fellowship and Mastership Awards with the Academy of General Dentistry.

Dr. Jenny and her staff's mission is to provide an enjoyable, relaxing, and friendly environment for her patients.

Dr. Jenny and her husband, Tyler, have two young sons, Wyatt and Blake.

SAN DIEGO DENTIST RECEIVES FELLOWSHIP AWARD

San Diego (June 20, 2015)—The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is pleased to announce that Dr. Jennifer Caruso, DMD, FAGD, of San Marcos, CA, received the association’s Fellowship Award during the AGD 2015 annual meeting, which took place June 18 to 21 in San Francisco.

The AGD Fellowship Award is presented to dentists who seek to provide the highest quality dental care by remaining current in their profession. To earn this prestigious honor, Dr. Caruso completed 500 hours of dental continuing education, passed a comprehensive written exam, and fulfilled three years of continuous membership in the AGD.

As a Fellowship Award recipient, Dr. Caruso joins more than 6,600 active AGD Fellows who have gone above and beyond the basic requirements to care for their patients’ oral health.

“We are proud to honor Dr. Caruso for her commitment in reaching this lofty goal,” says AGD Immediate Past President W. Carter Brown, DMD, FAGD. “She has distinguished herself professionally among her peers and is a role model for both her fellow dentists and the San Diego community.”

Dr. Debbie Kim

Dr. Debbie Kim is a Cleveland, Ohio native who grew up in Poway, California
after her family moved there when she was 12 years old. Besides the reward
of restoring patients’ teeth and smiles, Dr. Kim enjoys meeting and
creating long-lasting relationships with her patients and their families.
She calls it a privilege and honor to earn their trust and to treat them as
needed.

Dr. Kim offers all aspects of general dentistry including fillings, crowns,
dental implants, veneers, extractions, soft tissue laser treatment,
periodontal (gum) disease management, and family dental services. She is
particularly passionate about cosmetic dentistry and the use of dental
implants as a high-quality, permanent solution to missing teeth.

Prior to heading down the dentistry path, Dr. Kim played started to play
golf at 12yrs old. She picked up the game fast and traveled and competed in
junior golf tournaments across the United States. She was ranked the No. 1
female junior golfer in her age division five consecutive years. She also
was named San Diego's Player of the Year two consecutive years. Dr. Kim
continued to play golf competitively in college while pursuing a psychology
degree at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Kim chose to enter the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of University
of Southern California after graduating from UCLA, rather than pursuing
golf professionally. She always knew she wanted to be a healthcare provider
or scientist. While there, She received the prestigious Terrance Donovan
Dental Material Award and graduated with honors in 2002.

Although she didn’t make golf a career, playing the game competitively
taught her many life skills such as perseverance, focus and discipline. She
credits her physical and mental training for golf with getting her though
dental school, which was a demanding program.

Dr. Kim has practiced in San Diego since 2002, and served as a clinical
instructor and lecturer for dental hygiene students at Concorde College for
four years.

Dr. Kim is a big believer in giving back to the community. She volunteers
for TeamSmile and the Fallbrook Smiles Project, both of which provide free
dental services to underprivileged children in San Diego.

When she isn’t working or on the golf course, Dr. Kim enjoys yoga, hiking
and spending time with her family. She is a sports fan and enjoys attending
sporting events - especially UCLA football and basketball games.