A Message from the Director

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Dear Prospective Program Applicant:

My name is Dr. James M. Rozanski. I have been the Program Director since it’s inception in July 1980. I was born and raised in Utica, New York, and attended local schools. I am a graduate of New York University College of Dentistry. I completed two years of dental residency training, one year at Eastman Dental Center and one year at The Genesee Hospital both located in Rochester, New York. I am a former Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and Fellow of the America Association of Hospital Dentists and the past President of the Oneida-Herkimer County Dental Society (2005). The program celebrated its 25^th year in 2005. That year the Board of Trustees named the dental residency program in my honor. In 2008, I was The Genesis Group’s first-time recipient of the “Outstanding Dentist” recognition in the Mohawk Valley Region.

My primary role as Program Director is administrative, but I also enjoy direct patient care. As an administrator, one of my greatest strengths is my organizational skills. I like to keep the program running smoothly and I work hard at solving problems and try to constantly improve the program. As a care provider, I particularly enjoy surgery and prosthetics. I have learned from the numerous attendings and residents over the years and am most willing to pass my knowledge along to you.

I take pride in the service this program provides to the community. Many of our patients have special needs. I value good communication skills between the care provider and the patient, and I feel this area offers the greatest potential for improvement in young dentists. The majority of patients believe that they do not possess the knowledge or skills necessary to be able to judge effectively the technical quality of much of the dental care they receive. There can be little doubt that patients do, however, evaluate dentists and the care they receive from them. They tend to do so by judging the "softer," non-technical aspects of care, particularly the interaction between themselves and all members of the dental team. If you are a good communicator with your patients and your team, you will be perceived as a good dentist as well.

I have worked hard to cultivate a very positive working relationship with local dentists who in turn are very supportive of this program. Approximately half of the attendings are former residents of this program. In 2010 we proudly celebrated the 30^th year of the program by recognizing the contribution of dedicated local dentists who volunteer approximately 1,000 hours each year to the training of the dental residents in our program.

I also have a very positive working relationship with the hospital administration as evidenced by the significant financial commitment this organization has made to the ongoing improvements of the clinical facility. We have a very modern facility including digital dental record, digital radiographic imaging and in 2011 we will incorporate 3D digital scanning for impressions into the training program.   Networking with administrators indirectly promotes the program and ensures its long term success.

We have partnered with a great team of dental auxiliaries who are very willing and very capable of helping you to advance your practice of dentistry. They probably have seen more dentistry come through this program than dental students have seen in their short experience in dental school. Learn from them. Don’t be hesitant to ask them for suggestions. They are one of our most valuable assets. Treat them with respect and dignity. Also, communicate and help to educate your team and your rewards will be bountiful in return. Always wear a smile and have a positive attitude. It will rub off on everyone around you and make each day a pleasant experience.

We treat a wide age range of patients from various socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds and have embraced the concept of Relationship-Based Care (RBC). Each and every employee has a piece in creating a positive experience for the patient. RBC was adopted by Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare in the fall of 2005 to provide a positive, caring and healing experience for the patient and their family. It has been instrumental in guiding our employees and creating exceptional teamwork.

I enjoy working with residents and watching their transition over the 12 months of the program. I enjoy learning about new materials and techniques being taught in dental school. I also enjoy learning about new cultures from residents of different backgrounds. Share your experiences and culture with us and be willing to learn about other cultures.

I look forward to meeting with you and sharing with you firsthand all that our program has to offer.

Sincerely,

James M. Rozanski D.D.S.