Dr. Charles T. Kao 

Board Certified Pediatric Dentist 

Dr. Kao received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from UCLA in 2000 then continued to train at Boston University to specialize in pediatric dentistry.  During his two-year residency program, Dr. Kao gained extensive clinical experiences at the university, hospital and community-based clinical facilities. This advanced training was dedicated to all aspects of a child’s oral health, including behavioral and physical development, cavity prevention, treatment of oral health conditions, sedation and anesthesia, dental trauma, and care of children with special health care needs. After completing his residency, Dr. Kao became an associate doctor at the Central Coast Pediatric Dental Group in Salinas for three years prior to opening First Smile Pediatric Dentistry.

Dr. Kao is an active participant in our community. He is a Continue Education provider to other dental professionals, offers free dental screening to underprivileged children in our community through Give Kids a Smile project, and volunteers at local schools to educate young children on the importance of healthy teeth.

Dr. Kao is a staff pediatric dentist at El Camino Hospital and an active member of the Cranialfacial Team at Kaiser Santa Clara. His other professional memberships include:

•    American Dental Association (ADA)

•    American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD)

•    California Dental Association (CDA)

•    California Society of Pediatric Dentist (CSPD)

•    Santa Clara County Dental Society (SCCDS)

•    Chinese Health Initiative at El Camino Hospital

Away from work, Dr. Kao enjoys hiking, browsing through local farmer’s market, and spending quality time with his wife and two children.

Dr. Raj Lotwala       

Associate Doctor 

Dr. Raj Lotwala was born and raised in Southern California. He then moved to the Bay Area to pursue his undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Integrative Biology. After graduation, he spent time performing research in the field of tumor markers before moving to New York to attend dental school at Columbia University. During dental school, Dr. Raj was awarded a National Health Service Corp scholarship and was selected to serve as a tutor for other dental students. Upon graduation from Columbia, Dr. Raj entered a residency program at New York Methodist Hospital, where he first realized his desire to become a dual specialist in orthodontics and pediatric dentistry. He then moved to Seattle in order to complete a Master’s Degree and orthodontics residency at the University of Washington, before returning to California and completing the pediatric dentistry residency program at UCSF. He is truly a lifelong learner, and loves being able to make remarkable changes in his patients’ lives.

His professional memberships include:

•    American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD)

•    California Society of Pediatric Dentists (CSPD)

•    American Dental Association (ADA)

•    California Dental Association (CDA)

•    San Francisco County Dental Society (SFCDS)

•    American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)

•    Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists (PCSO)

•    California Association of Orthodontics (CAO)

In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, traveling, and trying new restaurants.