About Us

Our History

Takata Dental Health Center (TDHC) was established in 1936, when Dr. Ellsworth Takata, Sr. returned from the University of Southern California (USC) School of Dentistry in Los Angeles.  A native of Honomu on the Big Island, he started treating the many plantation families who had very little time, money or access to dental care.  He later opened an office on Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo and was very active in the community, serving as life president of several organizations and on several county boards.

In 1965, his son, Dr. Ellsworth Takata, Jr., also graduated from USC and finished a Pediatric Dental residency in Oakland, California.  He returned to Hilo in 1973 and opened his pediatric dental practice on Waianuenue Avenue, in the building where it stands today.

A few years later, Dr. Takata, Jr.'s youngest brother, Dr. Eric Takata, finished his dental training at USC and returned to join both his brother and father as a general practitioner.  Sadly, he passed away in 1995 and several other dentists came to care for his patients.

Dr. Paul Byun joined TDHC in 2003, after graduating from UCLA and completing his dental training at USC.  He is TDHC's general practitioner.

Dr. Brice Takata, Dr. Ellsworth Takata, Jr.'s son and classmate of Dr. Byun, also graduated from USC and continued on to finish his Pediatric Dental residency at USC.  He moved back to Hilo and joined TDHC in 2005.  He is now TDHC's pediatric dentist.