By John Flood

Trang Nguyen, a dentist with a new office on Main Street, has a simple philosophy of care: Listen to the patient. Don’t rush. Discover the patient’s needs.

Nguyen and her husband, Thanh Chau, who is also a dentist, opened Main Dental in February. But before they picked Los Altos as the location for their new office, they considered other sites in Saratoga, Los Gatos and Big Basin.

“I like Los Altos because it’s a small town and everyone knows each other,” Nguyen said. “It’s a tight-knit family community.”

Since they opened their office, the couple have experienced a surprising level of support from downtown merchants.

“I feel very touched by the people who come in and talk to me,” Nguyen said. “People welcome us.”

Nguyen embraces the twin pillars of best-care practices: apply high technology to patient needs and never lose the human touch.

Her practice offers digital X-ray technology, which reduces radiation exposure by 90 percent, she said.

But the human dimension is key.

“Each individual is different,” Nguyen said. “We see patients who want a complete change and others who want conservative care. It’s very personal for each patient. Each one has different concerns. We want to be conservative instead of pushing a big treatment plan.”

Main Dental offers comprehensive dental care, including nonmetal fillings, teeth whitening and veneers, dentures and bridges, crowns and full-mouth restoration for the upper and lower teeth.

“We have the latest technology to change the bite,” Nguyen said. “We can change it in two or three weeks. And we have bonding that can close the gap or help crowded teeth.”

Nguyen and Chau, originally from Vietnam, graduated from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in 1994 and opened their first dental office in San Jose.

“Many people don’t like dentists,” she said. “They think of pain. But I want to convey that dentistry is not just pain. We can create a new smile or help prevent a problem.”

Main Dental offers free oral screenings to check for cavities, oral cancer or gum disease.

Main Dental is located at 80 Main St. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. For more information, call 559-0120.