Orthodontist. Educator. Forensic Odontologist. Actor. Daytona Beach Native.
For Dr. David Lowe, orthodontics is more than a profession—it’s part of his family story.
Born and raised in the Daytona Beach area, Dr. Lowe grew up around dentistry. His father, Dr. W.J. Lowe, founded the family practice in 1958, and David began spending summers in his dad’s office at just 12 years old. Those early years would eventually lead him to follow in his father’s footsteps while creating a path distinctly his own.
Dr. Lowe earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree with high honors from Northwestern University in 1994. That same year, he was elected to Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the national dental honor society. He remained at Northwestern to complete his advanced specialty training in orthodontics and his Master of Science degree in 1996.
After completing his education, Dr. Lowe returned home to the community that raised him and continued the family tradition of caring for generations of local families.
Beyond Orthodontics
Dr. Lowe’s interests have always extended beyond creating beautiful smiles.
He has a longstanding interest in forensic odontology, the application of dental science to legal and investigative matters. He became a member of the American Society of Forensic Odontology in 2001 and completed advanced forensic odontology training through the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department, including a 24-hour Forensic Odontology Practicum in 2003.
Over the years, he has lectured for law enforcement and forensic organizations, sharing his knowledge of the important role dentistry can play in identification and forensic investigation.
Education is another important part of Dr. Lowe’s career. He has lectured for the Daytona State College Dental Assisting Program and provided orthodontic education to local dentists and dental hygienists.
He remains committed to continuing education and professional involvement through organizations including the American Association of Orthodontists, American Dental Association, American Society of Forensic Odontology, Florida Association of Orthodontists, Florida Dental Association, Daytona Beach Study Club, Volusia Dental Academy, and Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society.
A Family Legacy Continues
Dr. Lowe is married to Dr. Jean Chang-Lowe, a general dentist practicing in the Daytona Beach area. Together, they have twins, Max and Marley, who are now carrying the family’s connection to dentistry into a third generation.
Both attended college in Colorado before choosing to pursue careers in dentistry. Max attended the University of Colorado Boulder and is now a dental student at the NYU College of Dentistry in New York City. Marley attended Colorado College and is now a dental student at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.
For Dr. Lowe, seeing both of his children choose dentistry brings the family story full circle. What began when Dr. W.J. Lowe opened his practice in Daytona Beach in 1958 continued when David returned home as an orthodontist—and now continues with Max and Marley as they begin careers of their own.
More than six decades after his father first opened the doors, Dr. Lowe is proud to carry that legacy forward while embracing modern orthodontic technology, evolving treatment techniques, and a very personal approach to patient care.
For Dr. Lowe, the Lowe name represents more than a dental practice.
A Passion for the Stage 🎭
Dr. Lowe’s interest in theater began in his school days, when drama was one of his favorite activities.
Theater has been a lifelong passion for Dr. Lowe. His interest in both science and the performing arts led him to double major in biology and theater, allowing him to pursue two very different sides of himself from an early age.
While orthodontics became his profession, acting never stopped being an important part of his life.
Dr. Lowe is a professional actor who has performed on stages throughout Orlando and Central Florida, including respected venues such as Orlando Shakespeare Theater and Renaissance Theatre, along with many others too numerous to list. Over the years, he has taken on an impressive range of characters in both musicals and dramatic productions.
His work has earned recognition throughout Central Florida, with Dr. Lowe being recognized in the Orlando Sentinel’s Best of Theatre nearly every year over the past decade.
From commanding dramatic roles to musical theater, Dr. Lowe loves the challenge of stepping into a character, understanding that character’s story, and bringing it to life for an audience.
His love of performing also has deep family roots. Dr. Lowe’s mother was Miss Florida USA in 1957 and later appeared on television in Daytona Beach, hosting her own local children’s program and presenting the weather for WESH. Dr. Lowe has joked that with a father in dentistry and a mother in television, his two careers were simply “in my blood.”
Two Different Worlds, One Shared Connection
Although acting and orthodontics may appear to have little in common, Dr. Lowe believes there is one important quality at the heart of both: empathy.
As he shared in an article for Today’s FDA:
“The main ingredient to be a good actor also happens to be the same main ingredient to be a good clinician. That ingredient? Empathy.”
On stage, understanding another person’s emotions, motivations, and experiences allows an actor to truly become a character. For Dr. Lowe, theater has provided a lifetime of opportunities to study people, tell their stories, and see the world from another perspective.
Today, whether he is caring for patients at Lowe Orthodontics or performing under the bright lights of a theater, acting remains an important part of who Dr. Lowe is beyond the office.
Some of Dr. Lowe’s Roles
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd — Central Florida Community Arts Theatre, Orlando
Don Quixote
Man of La Mancha — Ice House Theatre, Mount Dora
King Henry II
The Lion in Winter — Central Florida Community Arts Theatre, Orlando
Colonel Nathan Jessep
A Few Good Men — Central Florida Community Arts Theatre, Orlando
Inspector Javert
Les Misérables