The Center for Esthetic Dentistry Blog | Dr. Charley Varipapa

My name is Zachary Tolbert, and I am nineteen years old. Since I was seven, I dreamed of one day becoming a national champion wrestler. That dream carried me to becoming a state champion, Maryland national team member, and making the Washington Post's "All-Met" team. As I began to wrestle at York College of Pennsylvania, my dream was suddenly ended when I had my third, double knee surgery, and I was forced to throw in the towel.
So I had to find something else to concentrate all my ambition and hard work towards. I found that "something else" when I came home from school, and was introduced to Dr. Charley Varipapa. In May he hired me as his dental assistant, and got me started right away. In a few weeks time I had already learned how to assist with preparation and deliver veneer cases, take x-rays and digital photos, and as his only dental assistant, was feeling extremely confident in how my efforts were contributing to the practice. Soon I found that I had a strong interest in dentistry. Having learned more about the profession from Dr. Varipapa, I decided to change my major. I was thrilled with this new change. As time progressed Dr. Varipapa offered to take me to the brand new University of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore so I could get a feel for the school and the field of dentistry.

Visiting the University of Maryland, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery was not a disappointment in any way, shape, or form. In fact, it only made the idea of one day becoming a cosmetic dentist so much stronger. I saw the incredible robotic patients pre-clinical students learned on, the lecture rooms, and the incredible clinics which have motivated me to continue working vigorously in school so that I can one day attend school here. After being introduced to a lot of nice people, I found out that Dr. Varipapa taught at school here from 1989 until 1995. It amazed me that he knew everyone there from the Dean, right down to the ladies that cleaned the clinics. Recently the Dean has asked him to join the Dean's Faculty and to come back and teach one day a week. Dr. Varipapa said he planned to go back in January of 2008. With his training and artistic skill in Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Varipapa will surely be an asset to the school. I hope he stays till I get there too!

For those of you I have not met I would like you to know that I look forward to meeting you and learning more about you. To those of you I know I would like to say that it has been my pleasure to have met you and see how the cosmetic dentistry you have had done has made such a difference for you! Thanks and I hope to see you real soon, Zach