7801 Center Avenue
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Tel: 714.230.2400
FEATURE ARTICLE
The Makings of the Image Center
The Story begins with a plastic surgeon named Dr. Peter Newen and his wife, a dentist named Dr. Katherine Ahn.
Dr. Newen was hard working and ambitious even as a child, graduating from high school at the age of 14. He received his college and medical school degrees at the well-respected University of Chicago at the age of 22. Subsequently he completed his General Surgery & Plastic Surgery Residencies at Brown University, the prestigious ivy-league school in Rhode Island at the age of 28. At that time he was noted to be the youngest plastic surgeon in the nation. As if 14 years of post-high school education was not enough, he elected to complete an additional 1-year fellowship in Cranio-facial plastic surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.
Dr. Ahn was notorious for being a perfectionist and for her love of art. Dr. Ahn majored in Human Biology at La Sierra/Loma Linda University with the intention of becoming a dentist where her artistic talents & meticulous personality can be maximized. In 1989 she applied early to UCLA Dental School & got accepted after 3 years of college education. During the first week of dental school, her classmates got to know her quickly because of the perfect score she got on her first tooth carving exam! Throughout dental school she received many EPRs (exceptional performance reports given to students that perform in the top 5~10% of the class) on her clinical skill exams. After graduating from UCLA Dental School in 1993, inspired by her love for children whom she taught at church, she chose to complete an elective 2-year Pediatric Dental Residency at UCLA. She believed that this would allow her to deliver superior care to the children she would see in her practice while helping her to have a deeper understanding of the growth and development of the face as a whole. During the 3rd quarter of her 2nd year residency, Dr. Ahn decided to complete her 1 month anesthesia rotation at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. It was there at the Children’s Hospital in the OR hallway that Dr. Ahn & Dr. Newen met all dressed in scrubs, masks and surgery bonnets. Realizing that their personalities were different yet their life philosophies very similar, they came to respect & value one another. As they completed their long educational journey simultaneously in June of 1995, they both began their interviews in search of meaningful positions.
Dr. Ahn first worked as a pediatric dentistry associate at a Children’s Dental Center in Redlands & Dr. Newen worked as a plastic surgery associate at Cosmeticare, a plastic surgery group in Orange County. In February of 2006, Dr. Newen started a private practice in Orange County with the help of Dr. Ahn who managed the practice. Dr. Newen’s exceptional plastic surgery skills became recognized quickly and his practice grew likewise.
In December of 1996 Dr. Ahn and Dr. Newen officially declared their love and were married at a lovely church in Costa Mesa.
In 1999, Dr. Newen & Dr. Ahn began to search for a location that would enable them to maximize their services in an environment that reflects their excellent skills and their practice philosophy. In December of 1999 approximately one year after searching all of Orange County for a location that is central to their Orange County and Los Angeles patient base, they finally settled on an empty lot located on Center Avenue, off the Beach Boulevard Exit from the 405 Freeway. Although the land was not purchased yet, the Farmsworth Group architects began to draw plans to make sure that the city would permit the owners to build a medical/dental/surgical building on the property.
On June 17, 2000 six months after locating the property, their daughter Elise was born. In July 2000 the city finally gave them a preliminary plan approval. On September 1, 2000 an SBA loan was secured from Fullerton Community Bank and the land was purchased from Mr. Gerald Klein, a real estate developer. Mr. Klein stayed on as an entitlement consultant and then later as a project manager as Drs. Newen & Ahn began to encounter difficulties with the construction.
In December of 2000, after several plan revisions & many visits to the city, they finally broke ground in preparation for construction. The construction was originally scheduled to finish in 10 months, but due to the complexity of the building and many unexpected difficult encounters (too numerous to mention), the building was not completed until July of 2003. On July 20, 2003 a Grand Opening celebration was successfully held on site with approximately 300 guests in attendance.
The name “The Image Center” was selected for the building because it summarized the focus of the services being provided by the four businesses within the center. In addition to the plastic surgery and dental offices, a day spa was incorporated because it complimented plastic surgery and cosmetic dentistry. The surgery center was needed since the new laws mandate that all surgery under sedation be performed in an accredited or licensed facility for patient safety.
All during planning, designing and constructing, the goal of meeting the patient’s needs was foremost in their mind. Special attention was given to patient/client comfort & privacy. State-of-the-art sterilization equipment, operating lights and tables, patient monitors and emergency equipment were selected for Huntington Surgery Center. The best imaging software was acquired for Image Plastic Surgery Center. The most comprehensive sterilization unit, low-radiation digital x-ray system, early diagnosis caries detection laser, dental laser & the most comfortable dental operatory chairs were purchased for Impression Dental Care. Relaxing waterfalls, luxurious Vichy shower room and the most researched exclusive products were selected to delightfully spoil the clients at the in-house Spa.
Being able to have all of your aesthetic needs orchestrated harmoniously in one place is a concept that is now a reality. There is no place like it. We welcome you to discover The Image Center Experience.
Drs. Newen & Ahn would like to say a very special thank you to Mr. Gerald Klein, who dedicated 3 long years to make sure that The Image Center building project got completed; Mrs. Klein for patiently waiting to take a vacation; their parents for their special prayers and support; and God for bringing special people into their lives to make all things possible.
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