a 40-Year Legacy Begins
The man behind the magic (and BISCO’s name), Dr. Byoung I. Suh, has a unique story.
As a young man, Dr. Suh wasn’t set on becoming an entrepreneur. For that matter, he hadn’t yet realized his vision for revolutionizing adhesive dentistry. However, he did have a better vision for his life than the one he had known while growing up on the Korean Peninsula, post-WWII.
A New Life in the U.S.
During this period of tension and poor conditions in Korea, Dr. Suh steadily pursued a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in Seoul, graduating in 1960. He landed a job that was funded by U.S. aid at a fertilizer factory in Chung-Ju, yet living conditions were still slow to improve.
Dr. Suh sought another path for his future, so he began applying for graduate program scholarships abroad. He eventually found acceptance at San Francisco State University, which offered low tuition rates. He left Korea in 1964 with just $60 in his pocket, $10 of which a friend had secretly wrapped in a cigarette. By law, Dr. Suh was only able to leave with $50, but that extra $10 would prove critical in starting his new life.
A Risk That Started a Business
After arriving in California, Dr. Suh worked as a bellhop, busboy, and teaching assistant. After receiving his master’s degree in 1968, he worked as a research chemist in Chicago, developing a restorative composite that became widely used by dentists. In discovering dental materials and chemistry, Dr. Suh found a calling to offer more to the industry through his own venture.
“I was motivated to find a solution in dentistry to bond to tooth structure and metals. I knew I could do this working for another company, or take the risk and start my own company,” Dr. Suh recalled. After consulting with his wife, he took the leap in 1981 and opened BISCO's doors.