Meet Dr. Funderburk
Dr. Bill Funderburk’s path of excellence was set into motion long before his successful career in dentistry. Whether visiting the Grand Strand, or a longtime resident along this unique stretch of sunny East coast, you’ve undoubtedly heard of South Carolina musical legends, the Swingin’ Medallions. From the early age of 16, Dr. Funderburk toured with the 70’s version of the award-winning Rhythm & Blues band and quickly became a standout on trumpet, keyboard, guitar, and vocals so it was no surprise when he was awarded full scholarships to The Juilliard School and Eastman School of Music.
Matched only by his outstanding musical talents, the young Dr. Funderburk’s obvious intelligence was likewise rewarded with hard-won academic scholarships to Harvard and Yale Universities, and several other prestigious higher education facilities. In fact, it was his strong desire to balance the passion and excitement he felt for music with his unwavering commitment to furthering his education that kept Dr. Funderburk in South Carolina. Here, he could practice with the band several nights a week and make all the weekend gigs, while obtaining the college degrees he knew would propel him to success outside center stage.
Dr. Funderburk attended the University of South Carolina (USC) as a distinguished Carolina Scholar, awarded USC’s most esteemed full academic scholarship, turning down such offers as a Morehead Scholarship to the neighboring University of North Carolina and a full Wofford Scholarship to Wofford College in Spartanburg SC. While at USC, Dr. Funderburk was a founding member of the USC Honors Program, now known as USC’s Honors College.
Dr. Funderburk obtained a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with Honors from USC, while simultaneously forwarding his musical career with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra and various regional rock bands. Although accepted to both medical and dental schools, Dr. Funderburk felt that dentistry offered a singular opportunity to utilize a blend of art, science, and social skills that would best realize his talents. He graduated from MUSC in 1985 with a Doctor of Dental Medicine.
After an associateship in Charleston, Dr. Funderburk began practicing dentistry in Myrtle Beach, SC in 1986. In 1987, he began training directly under Dr. Gerald Niznick in Los Angeles, one of the true pioneers of root-form dental implants. Also in Los Angeles, he studied in the office of Dr. Robert Ricketts, a legend in the field of orthodontics.
In the early 90s, he back-burner his budding dental career in South Carolina to rejoin the music scene in Los Angeles. At the same time, he also returned to dentistry in a renowned Beverly Hills cosmetic dental practice where Dr. Funderburk perfected the finer points of cosmetic dentistry and customer service.
With a passion for technology as well as patient comfort in dentistry, he became a true trailblazer in laser periodontal therapy (now known as LANAP), as well as digital radiography. In the mid-’90s, Dr. Funderburk returned to the Grand Strand where he founded Carolina Laser Dentistry.
An attendant of one of the founding meetings of what evolved to be the American Academy of Laser Dentistry, Dr. Funderburk was the first dentist in America to house all modalities of dental lasers under one roof. Also, he was the first dentist in South Carolina to make the switch to all digital x-rays, further demonstrating his commitment to utilizing the latest technology to maximize patient comfort and treatment outcomes.
Since his return to the Grand Strand, Dr. Funderburk has dedicated himself to improving care for all his patients, whether through technology or personal interaction.
Don’t be surprised if you hear a little “beach music” in the background while he’s taking care of you!