On Being a Dentist
I like to think that I have been granted a wonderful opportunity to exercise many facets of my personality and skill set in my career as a dentist.
Being around so many people from many different walks of life enriches my understanding of the community that I’m part of. None of us live in a vacuum and I strive not to create an echo camber of my own personality: I enjoy interacting each person I serve as a dentist, as learning about their lives gives me a grater appreciation for humanity. I’d like to think that my investment in each patient shows that I’m not working for short-term gains – I’m truly here for the individual, for the long haul.
As I work with patients, I strive to understand each person’s specific needs and wants. This helps me to communicate the ways in which I am able to provide a solution that works for the individual’s situation. In collaborating to design and undertake treatment, my patient and I form a bond as we work to achieve a common goal.
Education
Having grown up in Long Island, New York, I attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City. There I completed a six-year combined Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Doctorate of Dental Surgery. This was followed by a rigorous General Practice Residency at Columbia University at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt.
I graduated in 2001 and have been privileged to work in many facets of healthcare since then: private practice, public health, and volunteering overseas. A very goal-oriented person, I appreciate how as a dentist I can dramatically change people’s lives and/or appearances, in a very short time. Along with that, I am able to develop long-term, treasured relationships with those in my care.
In practice, I enjoy the craftsmanship and aesthetic challenges my work brings me. I appreciate well-engineered products and thoughtful design. I hope that my surgical and restorative skills allow me to provide the same to my patients.
Throughout my career I have sought to constantly grow and enhance my knowledge, abilities, and services provided to patients. Among my studies I have completed the Massachusetts Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Dental Implant Mini-Residency and the Implant Seminars Implant Dentistry Education Continuum.
Personal Life
Away from the office, much of my free time is spent with my son. I especially enjoy supporting his athletic endeavors: he runs XC and track. I also like traveling, SUP and cycling, and expressing creativity through casting in glass, lost wax casting, and sculpting.
