"Fred Hutch Cancer Center" "Cures Start Here"

Hakan Gem, DDS, PhD, MSD

Provider

Hakan Gem, DDS, PhD, MSD

Physician, Fred Hutch
Acting Assistant Professor, Oral Medicine, University of Washington School of Dentistry

Specialty:

Oral Medicine

South Lake Union Clinic

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“I appreciate forming trusting connections with patients. We health care providers get to make an impact on the lives of people who come to us with questions or a problem to solve. I see my role as a tremendous privilege.”

— Dr. Gem

How have you been personally impacted by cancer?

My mom was a dentist who owned and ran a private practice, and I originally went into dentistry to follow in her footsteps. We had dreams of having a family business together. She was diagnosed with cancer when I was a sophomore in college and received treatment at Fred Hutch and a couple other hospitals in the area. I remember whenever we were at Fred Hutch, I was just so blown away by the professionalism and excellence from all the staff and doctors. I felt a similar sense of mission and purpose, and this drew me into the research side. In the clinic, we’re solving the problems of today, but right down the street, we have scientists who are focusing on the problems of tomorrow.

What do you hope it’s like for a patient who is in your care?

I want patients to feel heard. People who come to see me can be in pain from their oral conditions, and pain can be a difficult thing to treat because it can be invisible and not something you can just point to and solve right away. Patients can feel frustrated trying to explain their pain and by the process of finding out what's causing it. So, the one thing I always want to do is make sure patients feel heard and that I’m not dismissing their pain. I really want to do my best to address it by connecting with them and listening to people’s stories.

Provider Background

Area of Clinical Practice
Oral health, oral disorders

I am a dentist and oral (mouth) medicine specialist who sees patients at the South Lake Union Clinic and UW Medical Center – Montlake.

As an oral medicine specialist, I see patients who have facial pain and oral mucosal disorders (conditions affecting the skin and tissues inside the mouth). I also work with blood and marrow transplantation patients to make sure they have little to no risk of infection due to oral conditions such as cavities and gum problems. After transplantation, I assist in managing any complications, such as graft-vs.-host disease.

Languages

English

Education, Experience and Certifications

Undergraduate Degree
University of California, Los Angeles

Medical Degree
University of Washington School of Dentistry

Residency
Oral Medicine, University of Washington School of Dentistry

Other
PhD, Oral Health Sciences; MSD, Oral Medicine; University of Washington School of Dentistry

Awards

Lester Burket Memorial Award, American Academy of Oral Medicine, 2024

Stories

All news

Fred Hutch is one of the only centers in the region offering oral medicine services

Fred Hutch is one of the only centers in the region offering oral medicine services Specialized oral care for cancer patients is part of multidisciplinary care June 25, 2025

We make promising new treatments available to you through studies called clinical trials led by Fred Hutch physicians. Many of these trials at Fred Hutch have led to FDA-approved treatments and have improved standards of care globally. Together, you and your physician can decide if a study is right for you.

View Clinical Trials

Many of our Fred Hutch physicians conduct ongoing research to improve standards of patient care. Their work is evaluated by other physicians and selected for publication to the United States National Library of Medicine, the largest medical library in the world. See scientific papers this Fred Hutch physician has written.

View Dr. Gem's Publications

Your Care Team

At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes physicians, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like registered dietitians, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.

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