1246 Marc J. Novak, DMD on the Benefits of Residency : Dentistry Uncensored with Howard Farran

Marc Novak graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine in 2018 and is now a practicing dentist between two practices in Northern New Jersey. He was born and raised in East Windsor, CT. With his mother and father both being successful teachers, he entered the University of Connecticut in the education program before transitioning his studies to biochemical research. After completing a research and development summer internship at a pharmaceutical company the summer before his senior year, he knew that a life stuck in a laboratory was not for him, and he chose to again transition to dentistry after observing his local dentist Dr. Pete Coombs of Suffield, CT. While applying to schools his undergraduate research advisor convinced him to continue his work and stay for a Master's degree. His research project focused on increasing the chemical stability of proteins that could be used for functional purposes. He published several peer reviewed journal articles pertaining to the increased functional stability of Glucose Oxidase, acting as the building blocks to a biocompatible glucose sensor that has the potential to send electrical Bluetooth signals through an app to register live blood-glucose readings and limit the pain and annoyance of patient's using drops of blood from their fingers. Upon completion of Dental school, he was selected to attend the highly competitive GPR program at Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ, ranked the #1 hospital in New Jersey and a top 30 hospital in the United States. He received advanced training of complex dental cases, including oral surgery, endodontics, dental implants and esthetic cases. He received a formal education on management of medically compromised patients as well as patients with special health care needs. Becoming a more well-rounded and confident practitioner afforded him to opportunity to enter private practice as an associate under the tutelage of Dr. David Paulussen of Hackettstown, NJ and Dr. Michael Gruber of Parsippany, NJ both of whom are annually recognized as two of New Jersey's top dentists. When not splitting his time between the two offices, Dr. Novak is passionate about continuing education to become the best practitioner possible as well as staying physically active and traveling. He hope to use his experiences to provide the best possible care to his patients in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere and make patients an integral part of their own treatment by educating them to the fullest extent as to the care they will be receiving.