WE RECENTLY ASKED DR. Gorczyca a few questions about her career. Here are her answers – thought you’d find them interesting!
How old were you, and what made you decide you wanted to become an orthodontist?
“I was a child musician. I started piano at age 3 1/2, flute at age 8. By age 6, I had won my first state piano competition. I played piano concertos and flute concertos with orchestras. You might think I would have become a professional musician. What happened?
“When I was in third grade, my dentist put braces on me. It was obvious that my dentist was learning something new and he had decided to try it out on me for the first time.
“In seventh grade, a young orthodontist opened a practice in our community. My parents brought me to him. I told him that I had already had braces. He asked ‘what did they do?’ I just loved my orthodontist and everything about his office. I especially loved his fish tank! I thought then at age thirteen that it would be fun to be an orthodontist.”
Where did you attend school and how long have you been practicing?
“At Wellesley College, I majored in molecular biology and music. I played principal flute with the MIT Symphony, was soloist on ‘Young Artists Showcase’ WQXR, New York, and played in Carnegie Hall.
“I graduated from Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Then, I was principal flutist with the Longwood Symphony and studied with someone in the Boston Symphony. I got a Master’s Degree from the Harvard School of Public Health. My thesis ‘Dentists and pediatric dentists doing orthodontics’ discussed weekend education. It was published in the Journal of Clinical Orthodontics. I received the Health Management Award at graduation.
“I did my orthodontic residency at Northwestern University. There, I studied flute with the principal flutist of the Chicago Symphony and played a concerto with the Northwestern Orchestra.
“Trying to solve the mystery of orthodontic tooth movement, I started a Ph.D. at Northwestern. I transferred to UCSF and studied TGF beta growth factors.”
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in Orthodontics?
“Orthodontics allows you to pursue many interests and passions. The work of an orthodontist is extremely artistic and gratifying. You have the ability to help patients achieve dental health and give patients happiness and a beautiful smile. It is rewarding to be able to offer your patients the very best that dentistry has to offer and to touch patients on a personal level. Plus, you don't have to go on tour, or work every Friday and Saturday night. You can practice and live wherever you want, and your Sundays are also free. You can also have your own office and set your own hours and make people happy by doing fun things like having a Summer Splash Party at the local water Park. What could be better than that?”
What is one thing you find most satisfying about being an orthodontist?
“I love my patients and what I am able to achieve for them. A beautiful smile builds self confidence and happiness. It is a work of art.
“So how do you get to Carnegie Hall? One might say practice, practice, practice. From someone who actually played in Carnegie Hall, it is more than that. I can hand you a flute and you can practice 1,000 times for 5 or 10 years, but if you do not have the expert and critical instruction of accomplished teachers, you will not achieve Carnegie Hall ability. And so it is with orthodontics.
“I have pursued excellence in orthodontics and I have had wonderful mentors including Drs. T.M. Graber, Bob Boyd, Steve Dugoni, Pete Worth, Bill Green, Don Linck and the American Board of Orthodontics. I continue to learn and get feedback from the Angle Society of Orthodontists. It is my Carnegie Hall.”
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Dr. Gorczyca better! And, as always, THANKS for being our valued patients and friends!
Do you have a question for Dr. Gorczyca?
Please include it as a comment below! She will answer it right away. Thanks!
