Lasting Impressions | Summer 2016

32 x NSU LASTING IMPRESSIONS Alumni Impressions “I encourage all recent graduates to not only become part of their profession, but to get involved in our boards, councils, and committees and to lead our profession toward the future.” —Irene Marron-Tarrazzi us before the legislators and provides standards, research, and services we cannot provide by ourselves. Its main role is to protect the future of our profession as a whole. There is power in numbers,” Marron-Tarrazzi said. “For example, it is imperative to cross generational bounds if we are going to connect with 21st-century dentists. This year, the ADA started to build a new platform and actively reached out to the dental students.” As a child, Marron-Tarrazzi saw firsthand how den- tists make a difference in the community. “My inspi- ration has been my mother,” she said. “My mother is a general dentist in Venezuela and was a solo practitioner for more than 25 years. I grew up watching her work, and she definitively inspired and influenced my decision.” Marron-Tarrazzi was drawn to her specialty because of its links to patients’ overall well-being. “Periodontists have become increasingly essential partners in helping patients achieve good oral and general health,” she said. “The treatment by a periodontal specialist in concert with the general dentist is increasingly critical as patients live longer, experience more chronic diseases, and take more medications than ever before. This partnership is particularly important in light of the growing body of evidence linking periodontal disease and other systemic disease.” And the field is rapidly changing. “Treatment options offered by periodontists have evolved dramatically. Even though achieving overall health is the primary objective, in 2016, esthetics play a significant role,” Marron-Tarrazzi said. “I practice in an area in Miami where the patient population demands highly esthetic cases and minimally invasive procedures. For this reason, my practice focused on dental implants, periodontal plastic surgery, and laser procedures.” FROM VENEZUELA TO THE UNITED STATES Marron-Tarrazzi completed her dental degree at the Universidad Central de Venezuela. She came to the United States as a foreign-trained dentist to obtain a specialty degree in periodontics from the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, where she graduated with a certificate in periodontics and a Master of Science degree. As she neared the end of her residency, she was considering a dental education career when a conversa- tion with a CDM instructor changed her path. “I inter- viewed with Sigmund Stahl, who was the chair of the Department of Periodontics at NSU at that time,” she said. “He recommended that, rather than taking this route, I should seek an American dental degree. I went on to obtain my D.M.D. degree from NSU’s College of Dental Medicine, and I am forever grateful for Dr. Stahl’s wisdom and advice. Because I had already obtained my specialty degree, I was offered a position at the CDM as a teaching assistant in the Department of Periodontology. This allowed me to stay connected to my specialty area while pursuing my D.M.D.” Other CDM instructors would also be instrumental in her development. “I have very good memories of Ines Velez, our instructor in oral pathology. Dr. Velez is a great example of a professor who goes above and beyond for her students,” Marron-Tarrazzi said. “I was always impressed by her dedication and devotion. Not only was she highly knowledgeable in the field, she was a humble person and had a nurturing style of teaching. I’m still in touch with her and seek her guidance and expert opinion when I come across a rare or unique case.” Despite time demands, Marron-Tarrazzi has kept her hand in teaching, and guest lectures at the CDM five to six times a year for the second- and third-year dental