Meet The Doctors

At SoCal Dental Specialists, our skilled team has a commitment to providing excellent care from the moment you step into our office. We understand how important your smile is and will work closely with you to reach your goals. Our dental professionals lead with compassion and respect, and you can expect them to use the full range of their skills and experience to meet your needs. Our specialists are passionate about the expertise they bring to dental care and look forward to using their skills to become your trusted partner in maintaining optimal oral health.

Learn more about our exceptional team and the expertise they bring to our practice.

Dr. Sarat Ummethala

Implants & Prosthodontist

Dr. Ummethala is a dental implant specialist. He is a diplomate of the American board of oral Implantology. He has been in private practice since 2008 and a part time faculty member at Loma Linda University since 2018. He lives in Redlands, with his wife, 2 boys and a dog. He loves hiking, biking, and gardening. He is passionate about his work and takes care of his patients like his own family. He believes in minimally invasive and well researched treatment options. You will find him straight forward and friendly.

Dr. Kitichai Rungcharassaeng

Orthodontist

Dr. Kitichai Rungcharassaeng (“Dr. Kit”) is trained in 3 dental specialties: Prosthodontics at Boston University, and both Implant Dentistry and Orthodontics at Loma Linda University. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. His scope includes children, adult and inter-disciplinary (working with other dentists and/or specialists) orthodontic treatments.

Dr. Rinku Parmar

Endodontist MS

Dr. Samah Omar

Pediatric Dentist

Dr. Omar is a board certified diplomat and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She is also a fellow of the International Association of Dental Traumatology. Over the past years she presented in national and international meetings and has published many articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Omar is a distinguished pediatric dentist that has tremendous experience in treating pediatric patients and special health care needs patients. She is an Associate Professor. She has been a full time faculty at the Pediatric Dentistry Department, Loma Linda University since 2010.. Dr. Omar earned her first dental degree in 1999 from Jordan. After practicing dentistry for a few years, she completed the International Dentist Program in 2007, then received a Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry in 2010. Dr. Omar maintains a part time private practice position in Redlands at Socal Dental Specialists.

Dr. Nicholas Caplanis

Periodontics & Implants

Dr. Caplanis is Board Certified and a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and the American Board of Oral Implantology. He is a past President of the California Society of Periodontists, the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, the Orange County Dental Society and the Western District of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry.

He is a fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentist and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. He has numerous peer review publications in the literature including multiple textbook contributions and has lectured nationally as well as internationally on topics related to dental implants and tissue regeneration. He has been in full-time private practice limited to Periodontics and Dental Implant surgery, in Mission Viejo, and Redlands California since 1997 and is a past Assistant Professor within the Graduate Program in Implant Dentistry, at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry

Dr. Adam Shafik

TMJ/Orofacial Pain Management

Dr. Shafik grew up in Buffalo, New York. He received his DDS degree from the University at Buffalo in 2018. He then completed his general practice residency at University of California at San Francisco, where he gained experience treating medically complex patients as well as patients with cancer of the head and neck. It was at UCSF that he developed a passion for treating patients with chronic pain. He decided to pursue further training at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard School of Dental Medicine, where he completed his residency in Orofacial Pain. Dr. Shafik joined the Loma Linda SDM faculty in August 2021. In his free time, he enjoys swimming, rock climbing, and playing hockey.