How long have you been with Babylon Dental Care?
I’ve been with BDC for two years.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the heart of Manhattan, in Greenwich Village. Then I went off to school in Buffalo. It was a huge difference, especially the weather! When I finished school, I did my residency in Queens and I decided to move to Long Island because I like the mix that it has to offer. I’m not too far from the city, I’m right by the beach, and I can even find wilderness here. And of course, I love being at Babylon Dental Care!
What do you love about being a dentist?
I love how rewarding it is. I like being able to see the results of my work immediately and helping someone. I can relieve their pain and improve their smile. I really make an immediate difference. It’s an amazing experience.
How do you put your patients at ease?
As a child, I suffered from a lot of anxiety when I had to go to the dentist. Today, I try to use my own experiences to help me empathize with my patients who have anxiety. My goal is to give my patients painless dentistry and be as gentle as possible. I’m always looking for new techniques to reduce anxiety.
When did you know you wanted to be a dentist?
I actually didn’t know until later in life, for me it wasn’t something I knew since childhood. I got a degree in psychology and started working in customer service and restaurants. Once I graduated, I knew I wanted to use my hands, my brain, and that I wanted to work with people. Dentistry fits well with all of those goals. After that, I started doing research and shadowing other dentists. When I saw just how much of an impact a dentist can have on their patients, I knew it was the right career for me.
What are your hobbies?
Right now my biggest hobby is gardening – I have way too many tomatoes at the moment! I actually have a small farm in Huntington. We have a horse, geese, and of course our dogs. My girlfriend and I found an abandoned egg and we took care of it, which is how we got our first goose. But then of course we needed to get more geese, because they’re social birds. So now we have a bunch of geese. They’re such funny birds, they’re so entertaining. Other than all of that, I enjoy reading, hiking, going to the beach, traveling, and anything that lets me be outdoors.
