New Jersey’s Most Experienced Turkish Dentist: Gürbüz Edeer

One of the most experienced doctors who has been continuing his career in the USA is dentist Gürbüz Edeer. A dentist who has been treating dental patients for over 42 years, Dr. Edeer graduated from Ege University’s Faculty of Dentistry in 1975 and from Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1994, as a distinguished graduate.

Due to his family’s financial limitations, to afford his needs during his studies, Edeer worked at a dental labrotory as a technician since his hand skills were very good. After graduating, he no longer needed to work as a technician. He went ahead and began working at a clinic as a dentist.

After his graduation in 1975 in Turkey, he first worked in İstanbul’s Yeşilyurt, for two years, at Turkish Air Forces as a lieutenant dentist. Then, he worked at the Dental Clinic of Afyon State Hospital for three years. Afterwards, he returned to İzmir and provided services at his private clinic in Alsancak, where he continued his career until 1989 as the district’s loved and the most successful dentist.
 
In the year of 1990, he had to start over in America. During the times when he was learning the language, he went to back to working as a dental technician. While working at different laborotories at that time, he passed the relevant exams for undergraduate study and got accepted to the Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine of University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his attendance to this school as the most successful student, he also worked at the clinic as an instructor. For three years after his graduation, he worked as an associate dentist at various clinics.

Later, Dr. Edeer opened his own office. Having accepted his patients in Wayne, New Jersey since 1997, Dr. Edeer received one of the most prestigious awards in his field, the Master title, from the American Academcy of General Dentistry (MAGD) in the year 2010.

Passionate about dentistry, Dr. Edeer completed his studies in several specialties, including implants, reconstructive dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry. Through his participation in training courses related to latest developments in the modern dentistry field, Dr. Edeer continues to advance himself and portray a life long learning process. He has completed the Cosmetic Dentistry Cours at Nash Dental Learning and Implant Maxi Course at Brookdale Hospital of New York University.

Dr. Edeer has also recently completed his own orthodontic reconstruction. In addition to courses at Invisalign® and Six Month Smiles®, he attended the two years long Progressive Orthodontics program. He is a member of American Academy of Cosmetic Orthodontists and International Orthodontics Association, as well as, other institutions, such as American Academy for Oral Systemic Health, American Dental Association, and New Jersey Dental Association, which are among 11 different associations that Dr. Edeer is affiliated with.

Dr. Edeer says he prefers to first make a good planning on prosthetic treatments and make sure both him and his patients see the expected results beforehand. “And, I get a solid reference firstly by preparing it with the aid of study models, diagnostic wax up, smile analyzing programs, computer assisted virtual models, and computer assisted surgical guides. This way, my patients are also able to see the results to be gotten as much as I get them… Both our patients and I get an idea of what result we will be getting; and, then, we get an understanding of whether these planned results match the expectations and desires of our patients or not and to what extent they will be satisfied… So, nobody encounters a surprise”, he adds.

‘MY PATIENTS ARE MY FAMILY’
Dr. Edeer says: “I accept everyone that comes to me as a member of my family and prefer helping them by trying to stay in their mind as the best dentist”, and continues: “If a doctor cannot monitor the fast changes and innovations in medicine;cannot improve herself/himself by learning about the new equipments and methods; and, cannot step further from her/his last level, she/he cannot help the patients more”.

“If patients heard of modern technics, treatments, and approaches from other doctors, they would right away go to that person. Indeed, that does happen. Patients that come to my office find it very modern, clean, and up to date. They appreciate my approach and treatments much more. We don’t see our patients just as dental patients. We look at them from a wholistic perception and treat them accordingly. Dental health is generally considered as the last piece of general health. However, the reflection of the overall body health is actually firstly seen in mouth and teeth health”, Dr. Edeer says.

He emphasizes that their difference in approach to treatments lies with how they first try to see the result beforehand and how they explain and show this to the patient in an understandable manner in order for the patient to also see it herself/himself and to make the best decision.

When asked about ‘what his difference is’, Dr. Edeer gives his answer with an ‘artistic vision’ and says: “I am very interested in fine arts and painting, so, I see that my view of aesthatics is broader than many of my collegues”.

A DENTIST SINCE 1975
Having worked as a dentist since 1975, Dr. Edeer says: “I have worked in all fields of this occupation multiple times. And, I have always continued improving myself and learning about new technics, methods, and equipments. And, I still do so. I have the experience that is enough to make my patients pleased and satisfied”.

When asked about how may patients he  has treated throughout his career, Dr. Edeer answers: “It is difficult to give a certain number as a person who has been doing this job for 42 years. However, I can say that there are about 20-30 thousand people who have received treatments, come for follow-ups, and visited for yearly check-ups”.

IS DENTAL TREATMENT EXPENSIVE
Dr. Edeer answers the question about the high cost of dental treatments in the USA with the following comments: “Dentistry is not expensive but negligence is expensive. This is not the case only for here but also for Turkey. If problems are caught at the beginning stages, their treatment is both very easy and very cheap. A simple dental check-up, treatment of a cavity at its beginning stage, and gum diseases are very easy and cheap to treat. But if you overlook it and wait until there is pain, a simply decayed tooth can turn into a complication needing root canal and crown treatments, which are more costly. As a general state of mind, people usually do not understand and appreciate the value of something gotten for free until it is lost. Like things such as health, happiness, trust, and peace. One of the best ways to understand this is to ask someone who has lost her/her teeth, whose face has wrinkled up, who can barely eat anything or get a good sense of what she/he chews, and who uses a denture, whether she or he is happy with her/his life. Whether they would recommend denture? Nowadays, although they are quite costly, people find the money for implant supported dentures or crown bridges. Because, they want to chew the food they eat finely and enjoy it and they want to be able to feed themselves well and look nice. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to get implants. For that, one needs a strong bone structure and a very thick wallet or a solid bank account”.
 
“People somehow find the money for things such as cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs, which have no health benefits and actually damage both their health and their pockets. Because, they desire these things although they don’t need them. If one puts aside the money spent on cigerettes, it amounts to a number that is much higher than the annual cost of a dental check-up and treatment. I remember some of my patients who had not even one healthy tooth in his mouth but had somehow spent money for the latest cars or the latest motorcycles. I have come across hundreds of people who spend money on alchol and cigerettes and ruin their gums but stay away from spending money for a simple gum treatment. But they somehow find the money for the gas for their expensive cars or for the maintenance cost of these cars”.

Saying the greatest dilemma of people when it comes to dental health is their reluctance to spend money on dental care altough they need it, Dr. Edeer says: “I also know hundreds of people that go around with an unhelathy mouth and travel for touristic purposes for a couple of times a year but avoid getting an annual dental check-up”.

TO CONTACT WITH DR EDEER
Aesthetic Smile Design Located
246 Hamburg Turnpike, Suite 206
Wayne, NJ 07470
Phone: 973-595-0700
www.njaestheticsmiledesign.com