Pre-Dental · Los Angeles

Dentistry, Leadership
& Service.

Prospective Dental student, founder, and humanitarian.

10+
Years in dental ops
1
Business founded
Smiles in Armenia
Portrait of Hayk Saryan

"I want to practice the kind of dentistry I grew up watching , patient, precise, and personal."

Clinical Operations

Front-office to chair-side: workflows, patient experience, and team rhythm across multiple dental offices.

Entrepreneurship

Founded The Bright Spot to combine cosmetic dentistry with patient education and trust-first marketing.

Research

Immunology bench work at UC Irvine , T-cells, flow cytometry, and a habit for careful protocol.

OUTREACH

I've helped support the development of dental operatories in underserved rural villages and participated in scholarship and cultural fundraising efforts for students in Armenia.

Endurance

Ironman and triathlon training , the discipline that quietly shapes everything else.

About

A path shaped by chairs, communities, and long miles.

Dentistry has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up around my family's offices, Viva Smile Dentistry, I spent years learning not just the clinical side of healthcare, but also the responsibility that comes with caring for people. Working closely with patients and helping manage the day-to-day operations of multiple offices taught me how much trust, communication, and consistency matter in building meaningful patient relationships.

Over time, I became increasingly interested in the intersection of healthcare, leadership, and patient confidence. That interest eventually led me to found The Bright Spot, a professional teeth whitening studio focused on education, patient experience, and accessible cosmetic care.

At UC Irvine, I also worked in an immunology research laboratory studying T-cells and assisting with flow cytometry-based research. Research challenged me to think critically, stay detail-oriented, and approach problems through an evidence-based lens.

Outside of dentistry and academics, a large part of my life has been centered around service and community work. Through Smiles for Soldiers and Armenian humanitarian initiatives, I have helped support the development of dental operatories in underserved rural villages and participated in scholarship and cultural fundraising efforts for students in Armenia.

When I am not working or studying, I spend much of my time training for triathlons and Ironman races. Endurance sports have become one of the strongest influences on my mindset, teaching me patience, discipline, humility, and the value of long-term consistency.

Experience

Practice, lab, and field.

  1. 01

    10+ Years

    Operations & Patient Care Lead

    Viva Smile Dentistry · Los Angeles, CA

    Age associated impairment of T-cell immunity

  2. 02

    2023 , Present

    Founder

    The Bright Spot · Los Angeles, CA

    Professional teeth-whitening studio focused on patient education, confidence, and modern cosmetic dental care.

  3. 03

    2022 , 2024

    Undergraduate Researcher , Immunology

    University of California, Irvine · Irvine, CA

    T-cell biology and flow cytometry-based research, contributing to immunology investigations under faculty mentorship.

  4. 04

    Ongoing

    Volunteer & Coordinator

    Smiles for Soldiers · Armenian Outreach · Rural Armenia

    Helped expand dental access in underserved villages , supporting and equipping new dental operatories on the ground.

RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS

Research publications, journals, and field notes.

Contact

Let's build something meaningful.

Open to conversation & collaboration. Thank you for visiting.