Some people would rather jump out of a plane than get a root canal. But for Oscar R. Bolanos, D.D.S., professor of endodontics and director of postdoctoral endodontics in the College of Dentistry, root canals are an art form, and he describes the root canals his students perform as “outstanding and beautiful.”
Although he admits that dentists who perform root canals suffer from bad reputations because of the unpleasantness some associate with root canals, he said the field of dentistry is very important.
“We consider that it’s important to have a healthy mouth,” Bolanos said. “The food that you consume every day has got to be handled by a healthy mouth. In order for you to be healthy you have to start with your eating habits.”
Bolanos’ family dentist inspired him to pursue dentistry.
“When I was a teenager, I ate a lot of candy, so I needed to go see the family dentist,” he said. “He was an incredible guy who talked to me so much about dentistry that I grew to love it. I said, ‘I have to be a dentist.’”
Bolanos kept in touch with his dentist while he attended dental school at the University of El Salvador. He received his endodontic training at the University of Minneapolis. After he was hired as an assistant professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa., the dental board of Pennsylvania required him to have a dental degree from a school in the U.S. He completed another DDS at Temple University. There, he taught full-time for 12 years, spending the last five as the director of the postgraduate program in endodontics. He then taught once a week, totaling 31 years there. He also practiced dentistry full time in New Jersey and Philadelphia for 26 years.
He started teaching at NSU in June 2008 and was promoted to director of the endodontic program a year later. He is proud of the promotion and his teaching position at NSU. He said that the department of endodontics is known in the U.S. and abroad for being progressive and having the latest technology, techniques and materials.
Bolanos said that he believes he contributes years of clinical and teaching experience to the department and tries to be available to students when they have questions or need to talk.
“I consider myself somebody who is not pushing the students to learn but trying in a nice and easy way for them to see how important the material is, so they can learn it and what the benefits will be if they do learn it or the benefit that they will achieve for their long-term careers,” he said.
After investing time in his students, graduation day is a special time for him.
“When it comes to graduation day, I give them their certificates, and that is a very emotional day for me because I can see that they are so happy that they successfully completed their training, and they’re looking forward to another kind of life outside NSU,” he said. “And they show that they’re very appreciative of what they have learned.”
When he is not teaching, Bolanos enjoys playing tennis, which he loves. Bolanos is also interested in archaeology and has been to almost every Mayan site in the Yucutan Peninsula. He has also been to Machu Picchu and the Mayan ruins in Pical, Guatemala. He has participated in archaeological digs and taken courses in archaeology.
Bolanos said he has seen the connection between dentistry and archaeology. Once, a friend took him to an archaeological dig and Bolanos found a group of retired dentists, volunteering at the dig and using dental instruments to do the work.
He also enjoys traveling and seeing other cultures. He has given more than 200 lectures across Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
“Teaching is a passion, especially when I do my lectures,” he said. “I really enjoy doing that. It’s not a job.”
