My decision to pursue a career in dentistry started in the Hospital Dental Clinic at Nassau County Medical Center where I rotated as part of a college honors program for pre-health professionals in the summer of 1970.

I specifically chose to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine because, even then, I felt that the idea of dentistry practiced as “Dental Medicine” was both logical and appealing. I continued after dental school in a hospital residency program before joining a group practice that was affiliated with Columbia University.

There, I gravitated to the Oral Surgery Department, which embraced the medical component of dental practice I was already used to. I joined that department in 1977 and the Hospital Dental Department of Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center a year later.

After teaching oral surgery (exodontia and local anesthesia) to dental students for 5 years, I moved on to teach in the General Practice Residency program along with giving other courses at the dental school such as local anesthesia and care of the medically compromised patient. In 1995 joined the faculty on a full time basis and became the Director of the GPR program at New York Presbyterian Medical Center, working alongside Dr. Steven Roser.

I left full time academia in 2004 to pursue full time clinical practice and in 2010 became a founding member of the American Academy For Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH).

Looking at the ‘big picture’ of health and the specific relationship oral health has to overall health has been a passion and theme throughout my career.