Meet Dr. Kyint Chwa, Northbrook Orthodontist
Dr. Kyint Chwa is an orthodontist at Janzen & Chwa Orthodontics in Northbrook, Illinois. Dr. Kyint Chwa earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery at Northwestern University Dental School and completed his Specialty Certificate in Orthodontics and Master of Science there as well. He treats children, teens and adults, and practices alongside his son, Dr. Evan Chwa.
Ask Dr. Chwa what he likes about orthodontics and the answer is not about appliances. It is about the fact that treatment lasts long enough to actually know people. A patient who starts at eleven is fifteen by the time the braces come off, and a good deal happens in a family across those years. He has treated a great many Northbrook families through that stretch, and a fair number of them have come back with children of their own.
Education and Training
| Degree | Institution | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Dental Surgery | The University of Dental Medicine, Yangon | 1984 |
| Doctor of Dental Surgery | Northwestern University Dental School | 1992 |
| Specialty Certificate in Orthodontics and Master of Science | Northwestern University Dental School | 1994 |
Dr. Kyint Chwa began his dental education in Yangon, Myanmar, and continued it in Chicago, completing his DDS at Northwestern University Dental School in 1992. He stayed at Northwestern for the graduate orthodontic program, finishing his specialty certificate and master’s degree in 1994.
Teaching and Professional Life
After completing the graduate orthodontic program, Dr. Kyint Chwa served as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Orthodontic Department at Northwestern University Dental School, and subsequently in the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry.
Teaching at two dental schools is unusual for a doctor in private practice, and it changes how a person works. Residents ask why. Explaining a treatment decision to someone who is about to be tested on it is a discipline that carries back into the operatory, and patients here get the benefit of it: they are told what is being done and why, in terms they can actually follow.
Dr. Kyint Chwa continues to take part in ongoing education, consistently exceeding the required standards, and follows developments in treatment technique and technology closely enough to know which ones are worth adopting and which are marketing.
Professional Memberships
Dr. Kyint Chwa is an active member of:
- American Association of Orthodontists
- American Dental Association
- Illinois Society of Orthodontists
- Midwestern Society of Orthodontists
- Illinois State Dental Society
- Chicago Dental Society
- World Federation of Orthodontists
- Myanmar Dental Association
Approach to Patient Care
Dr. Kyint Chwa’s approach is unhurried and specific. Diagnosis before treatment planning, treatment planning before appliances, and an explanation at each step that a patient or a parent can repeat to somebody else afterwards. Where a case can be treated more than one way, he says so and lays out the trade-offs rather than presenting a single option as the only one.
He treats the full range of cases the practice sees, from early treatment in growing children through adult orthodontics, using braces and clear aligners as the case requires. Complex cases involving jaw position are planned in coordination with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, described on our surgical orthodontics page.
Outside the Practice
Dr. Kyint Chwa is originally from Yangon, Myanmar, and has lived in the Chicago area since 1988. He and his wife, Laura, settled in Northbrook in 2010. They have two children: Evan, who now practices as an orthodontist alongside his father, and Emily, a plastic surgery resident at Northwestern Medicine.
Away from the office he reads, plays golf, and spends time with his family. He takes part in the Northbrook Rotary Club and the Northbrook Chamber of Commerce, and in local programs the practice sponsors around the village.
Schedule With Dr. Kyint Chwa
New patient consultations are complimentary and no referral is required. Call or text (847) 272-0600, or request an appointment online. You can also meet Dr. Evan Chwa or meet the rest of our team.