Dentaltown New Grad 2013 - (Page 16)

office visit feature Resident On Call by Chelsea Knorr, Associate Editor, Dentaltown Magazine Dr. Tony Cruz-McLeod, born and raised in New York, just finished his general practice residency (GPR) at King’s County Hospital Center in Brooklyn, New York. Working in a hospital GPR is like boot camp for dentistry and a great way to get in gear for a successful career ahead. Herein, Cruz-McLeod tells us about his hectic life as a resident and what his plans are for the future. What drew you to dentistry? What inspired your career decision? Cruz-McLeod: My childhood dentist, Dr. Raymond Torio, was my inspiration. When I was 14 years old, he asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I told him I wanted to be a doctor, but I was not sure what kind yet. He asked me if I had ever considered being a dentist. Dr. Torio gave me the opportunity to come in and assist for him for a week. That week changed my life. His interaction with his patients was incredible, and dentistry allowed him to make a great living, provide a much-needed service to the community and still be home for dinner with his family. Even as a teenager I understood that sometimes people choose careers that they aren’t going to be satisfied with down the road. I knew that I never wanted to be in that position. What is it like to be a resident? Cruz-McLeod: This residency has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. Sleeping on a cot in the on-call room is never fun but I love working at the hospital. It is hard work and more responsibility than being a dental school student. I see more patients in a week than I did in an entire month in dental school. I have more freedom to try new techniques and use new materials too. And if I have questions, there are attendings who can help. What are the advantages of doing a residency? Cruz-McLeod: A residency gave me a year to learn how to do dentistry in a real-world, fast-paced setting. In school, we had three hours to do a filling or two hours with a rubber dam. In private practice, that just doesn’t cut it. We have to learn to be efficient. Residency also lets me try things that I could only read about and watch post-grads do while I was in school. I’ve placed about 40 implants, learned how to do interview continued on page 18 16 NEW GRADS » dentaltown.com Photography by Karl Rivenburgh Name: Tony Cruz-McLeod, DMD Graduate From: Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey – BS University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey – DMD http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown New Grad 2013

Howard Speaks: Informed Decisions
Professional Courtesy: So You Want to Be Successful? Be Professional
Continuing Education Update: Never Stop Learning
After Going Through Dental School, What Advice Would You Give Students?
Checklist for Reviewing an Associate’s Work
You Should Know: Townie Meeting
Office Visit: Resident On Call
Office Visit: In His Element
Are You Prepared to Begin Practicing Dentistry?
Three Stages of a Dental Career
What You Need to Know About Student Debt Relief
Gain an Early Financial Edge
Pregnancy and Employment in the Dental Practice
Personal Protective Equipment
Win Patient Loyalty
Denture Stabilization with Small-diameter Implants
Partnerships: A Match Made in Heaven or a Pathway to Financial Hell
Taking Oral Health Care Education from the Classroom to the Clinic
Continuing Education: Nine Lessons from the Real World

Dentaltown New Grad 2013