RSDM Alumni Spotlight: Elisa Velazquez ’99 Seeks to Improve Dental Field for Providers and Patients

For her high school graduation gift, Elisa Velazquez knew exactly what she wanted: her first professional teeth cleaning. Routine dental visits were something her family couldn’t afford. Velazquez took the crisp $100 bill her parents gave her and walked to a dentist office in her Jersey City neighborhood. “It felt wonderful and it gave me a lot of confidence,” she recalled. “I wanted to start college with a clean, bright smile.”  Always practical, Velazquez spent the year after college working as a dental assistant to make sure dental school would be a good fit. She applied to Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (then called New Jersey Dental School within the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey) because of its strong reputation and location: she could live at home and take out less in student loans. Velazquez made close connections with classmates and faculty at RSDM, graduating in 1999. “All my memories of RSDM are positive because of the people,” she said. While doing her two-year pediatric residency at RSDM, she also earned a master’s degree in oral biology.  Growing Practice Velazquez partnered with RSDM alumna Linda Insano ’92 for the first of her three pediatric offices in South Jersey. After Insano retired, Velazquez expanded Ocean Pediatric Dental Associates from Toms River and Manahawkin to include Cream Ridge. The practice has 50 team members, including five pediatric dentists and two orthodontists. Velazquez is also the staff dentist for Children’s Specialized Hospital in Toms River, and serves on the surgery staff at Community Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center.  Velazquez focuses on treating children with special needs. More than a decade ago, she launched a free program called Dental Orientation for Parents and Autistic Children to teach basic oral hygiene and help parents and kids become comfortable with dental visits. “I wanted to remove some barriers,” Velazquez said. An Active Alumna A big believer in education and mentorship, Velazquez has been an active RSDM alumna. She speaks at student events and welcomes students to shadow her at her practice. Velazquez and Miriam Furlong, RSDM’95, an orthodontist in Velazquez’ practice, created an endowed scholarship in 2019 that supports women students “who demonstrate academic excellence, financial need and an interest in pediatrics or orthodontics,” she said.  When she is not involved in professional endeavors, the 49-year-old Rumson resident travels. “My goal is to visit every national park but also to explore internationally and learn about other cultures,” Velazquez said. But her commitment to advocating for organized dentistry keeps her busy. Last year, she started a New Jersey chapter of the national Hispanic Dental Association, and quickly recruited two dozen members. Velazquez is also president of the New Jersey Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and treasurer for the New Jersey Dental Association, part of her drive to promote equality and inclusion in the workforce, and increase access to care.

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