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Navigating Dentistry in the United States w/ Dr. Maria Valentina Martinez
48 Plays1 year ago
Dra. Valentina Martinez, a dentist and orthodontist from Venezuela, shares her journey of obtaining her dental license in the United States. After meeting a mentor who was looking to retire and sell his practice in New Mexico, Valentina decided to move to the U.S. and pursue her dental career there. She faced many challenges and uncertainties along the way but was determined to make her dream a reality. Valentina wrote a book about her experience and started the INBDE course to help other Spanish-speaking dentists navigate the process of obtaining their dental license in the U.S. She emphasizes the importance of never giving up on your dreams and believing in yourself.
Valentina and I are both members of the beautiful Simpaticas group in El Paso, Texas
About The Guest:Dr. Maria Valentina Martinez Morales has a proven record of accomplishment and years of experience as a practicing orthodontist. She received her dental education at Carabobo University (Venezuela on 2006), and her specialty degree in 2010, after that she did her advanced standing program in Boston University on 2020 ; In addition, she has a PhD in Dental Sciences (Caribbean International University). She is a member of the American Association of Orthodontics (AAO), the World Federation of Orthodontics (WFO), Venezuelan Orthodontics Association and the Latin American Orthodontics Association (ALADO). She was a Faculty member in Carabobo University (Venezuela) for more than 9 years, International Speaker of the Clear Aligner Techniques for 8 years. She has been dedicating her life to the Orthodontics Treatment research, publishing her research results in several magazines and the annual meeting of the AAO (American Association of Orthodontics). She wrote a book in spanish for helping international dentists to achieve their dreams of getting a dental license in the United States. Dr. Martinez is also the creator and CEO of the company Become dentist USA that teaches lectures in preparation for the dental boards and applications for the different dental programs in the US. With more than 600 students enrolled nowadays.
Key Takeaways:
- Valentina Martinez moved from Venezuela to the United States to pursue her dental career.
- She faced many challenges and uncertainties during the process of obtaining her dental license in the U.S.
- Valentina wrote a book and started the INBDE course to help other Spanish-speaking dentists navigate the process.
- She emphasizes the importance of never giving up on your dreams and believing in yourself.
Learn more about becoming a dentist in the United States: https://becomedentistusa.com/
Check out Dr. Valentina Martinez Book HERE
Connect with Valentina Martinez on IG: @dra.maria_valentinamartinez
Connect with New Dentists on the Block: @newdentistsontheblock
Connect with Tanya Sue Maestas: @tsmaestas.dds
Full video on Youtube
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Transcript
Introduction to 'New Dentists on the Block'
00:00:05
Speaker
Bienvenidos a new dentist on the block. Welcome to New Dentists on the Block, a podcast featuring new dentists sharing their experiences in the world of dentistry. Successes, challenges, and life in between. Navigating dentistry together one experience at a time. Happy Hispanic Heritage Month. Feliz Ms. Nacional de la Arencia Ispana.
00:00:27
Speaker
We continue celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
Valentina's Journey to the U.S.
00:00:31
Speaker
This week we have Valentina Martinez. Valentina is a dentist who first went to school in Venezuela, then came to the United States and completed her degree in Boston. Valentina shares her journey of obtaining her dental license in the United States. After meeting a mentor in New Mexico, she was inspired to obtain that license so she could return to New Mexico and buy his practice.
00:00:53
Speaker
She currently practices in Demi, New Mexico, where she has a passion and focuses on orthodontics.
Writing a Guidebook for Dentists
00:00:59
Speaker
Valentina wrote a book to share her experience in attaining that dental license and helps others navigate the process to obtain their dental license in the United States. Valentina and I had the opportunity to meet each other through a group that we call Simpaticas. Let's get into today's episode.
Practicing Orthodontics in New Mexico
00:01:17
Speaker
Valentina Martinez, welcome to New Dennis on the Block. How are you doing today?
00:01:21
Speaker
Hello, thank you. Well, it's a pleasure. Thank you for having me here today. And well, anything that I can do to help the community of dentists around the world, well, that's what I'm here for.
00:01:36
Speaker
I am so excited to have you on the podcast. Valentina and I are friends through the dental community here in El Paso, New Mexico, and we'll talk a little bit more about that. But Valentina, I would love if you would tell our listeners a little bit about yourself and your family and where you practice.
Overcoming Licensing Challenges
00:01:53
Speaker
Awesome. Well, everything started for me back in 2016 when I met one of my mentors, Dr. Bruca. He's an orthodontist here in New Mexico and in Colorado. We actually met in a dental meeting in Orlando. I used to be an international speaker for one brand of aligners. It used to be called Ecliner. Okay. So I used to do these talks in Latin America and in my language in Spanish.
00:02:21
Speaker
And then I met this American doctor. He was also working for the same company, but for the American speaker's doctors. Anyway, so we're in the meeting and he's, you know, telling me that he would like to retire. He was already in the eighties, which is, you know, wow. I think he said struggle, you know, to be for sure. He was pretty active and he was like, well, I'm looking to retire, but I haven't found
00:02:50
Speaker
like a right dentist who could buy my practice in New Mexico. It's actually in a little town in the middle of nowhere. It really is. He started telling me all this story and then I was living in Venezuela. I'm from Venezuela. I have two daughters. I'm married and my husband. We had a lot of struggle back in the day in our country because of the political and economic situation. It was pretty rough.
00:03:18
Speaker
And he invited me over to New Mexico. I really love the town. It's this cute little town in New Mexico, very close to the border, Paloma's border, and very close to El Paso. And, well, I think I fell in love with the place. And I'm like, well, you know what? I need to find out everything that I have to do in order for me to actually practice in the United States. Because even though I'm an Archidontist,
00:03:46
Speaker
I mean I was already practiced for like 10 years in my country but I didn't know how to begin because everything was just confusing and I did my dental school in Venezuela so I really didn't know how to like put everything together. So he brought me here and then I started to do some research and I paid somebody to like give me some you know a consultation or something but it was still like a big
00:04:12
Speaker
i don't know mess to understand the steps like where do i have to begin so i actually um started doing like notes of how to do it and well while i was doing it a lot of people contacted me like well we know you're doing this like to get your dental license in the states
00:04:31
Speaker
And then you know, I used to help a lot of people over the phone and then I went well, you know What we should just make it official, you know, I wrote a book actually in 2020 about like all my journey how to get my dental license because then after taking the boards I decided to go to Boston to actually do the two years of
00:04:54
Speaker
for the International Dynasty Advanced Standing Program.
Building a Community for Spanish-Speaking Dentists
00:04:57
Speaker
I studied in Boston for two years. And then I came back to New Mexico and I bought the practice from Dr. Brook. I took over in 2020. What a year.
00:05:08
Speaker
That year in 2020 allowed me to have some time to actually like sit down and write down everything that I was going through with the whole process. So I wrote this book in Spanish, okay, for Spanish speaking doctors of how to get your dental license if you want to practice in the States, like all the routes, all the paths that you can actually pick.
00:05:33
Speaker
And, um, well, it was, it was kind of a success because, uh, we opened, we opened the curse, the IMBD curse. So, uh, all the Spanish speaking doctors will have like classes in Spanish, but with like English slides. And then we could introduce more of this subjects to actually pass the boards in an easy way.
00:05:55
Speaker
My man was pretty amazing for me because now we have doctors from everywhere. We have this big community of 400 doctors from all parts of Latin America and Spanish speaking doctors.
00:06:10
Speaker
you know, the Spanish community, people from Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, like, you name it. And then we have all these kind of dodgers. So, like, this has allowed me to meet all these kind of people, wonderful people. And I did this also with one of my partners, Diana Tomich. She's an oral macular facial surgeon from Venezuela, from Venezuela.
00:06:38
Speaker
And then my husband was also there for me and supporting me.
00:06:43
Speaker
And then, uh, well that year, 2020 really marked a big difference. Cause I mean, we were stuck with the COVID and everything. And then it's like, well, do you have the time to actually do something nice? Like what I was dreaming about, but I never had the time cause then I was studying and then with two little girls. And then that, that was like the perfect time for me to sit down and actually, uh, make, uh, the idea, you know, into real.
00:07:12
Speaker
into reality and just make it real. Yeah. And, uh, well now we have four years that we started this project and, uh, well, it's been going on since then. That's super cool. So I'm going to backtrack a little bit. You went to school in Venezuela. Yeah. Right. And then you did the international program at Boston. Yes. And then I did my specialty, I did my specialty too in orthodontics. In Boston as well? No, I didn't in Venezuela. Oh, okay. Okay. I limit my practice for ortho only.
00:07:42
Speaker
Okay. Oh, okay. I understand. Understood. Very, very cool. Yes. Yeah. And so the program that I, you know, I follow you on social media and I see you asking questions to the community, especially those who follow you who are international, internationals who are trying to come to the States. But many of these questions are exam-based questions, which are a great way to kind of prepare yourself for the exam.
00:08:03
Speaker
But I have seen the community that you have built and continue to build to help support those who have studied abroad and want to come into the United States to practice dentistry and bring their family over for them to experience what it is living in the United States. Yes. Well, I will say the whole process is not easy at all.
Navigating the U.S. Dental Licensing Process
00:08:25
Speaker
I mean, you have to put a lot of effort, sacrifices and everything
00:08:30
Speaker
But as long as you know the steps, like the first step is just getting ready for the boards, for example. And then you can get ready as soon as it could be eight months. I mean, those are going to be eight months that you have to be pretty much apart from everything else.
00:08:46
Speaker
If you have kids, you need help, for sure, with your kids. If you're working, then you're going to have to sacrifice something, probably your sleep. I used to study like three in the morning, four in the morning. Sometimes I still wake up, I'm three in the morning, I'm like, why?
00:09:04
Speaker
You know, I mean, sometimes, but, um, the first year is just preparation for the boards for the IMBD. Now it's one board. I don't know if you did the two parts or I did. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, when we, when we did it, it was part one and part two, part one was just like, um, all the basic, uh, subjects. And then part two was just the dentistry related subjects. And, uh, now it's the integrated. So it's everything together in a two days, uh, test.
00:09:34
Speaker
30, 360 questions the first day and then 140 the second day. And then after that first year, after you pass your test, you have to focus on the TOEFL test, which is the English test. And then depending on that score, you can probably pick what program to apply because
00:09:54
Speaker
They're going to demand for you to take the top one and have a score of 95 or 100. It depends on the program. And then also you need to decide already on the second year, which program would you like to do if you want to do a specialty like ortho, for example, here in the States, but that's going to allow you to practice in some states.
00:10:15
Speaker
if you're an international dentist. Like in Texas, you can do that, but not in New Mexico. But I have friends that they actually practice in Texas that is like 30 minutes away from where I'm living.
00:10:28
Speaker
And then, um, if I want them to cover for me, like if I'm going to go into a vacation or something, they can't because they did, they like the specialty here in the States. They're international dentists. They did their specialty here, but they can only practice in Texas, not in New Mexico. Okay. Or in the other States. So if you're doing a specialty, for example, you can only practice in some States like Texas, Oregon, Washington state.
00:10:53
Speaker
Mississippi, Virginia, Vermont, for example, not in Florida, because that's one of the questions that I always get. Not in Florida, they're not allowing international identity to come to the States and then do their specialty and then start practicing as a specialist. Okay. That's super surprising to me. Yeah. Well, that's that.
00:11:19
Speaker
What I'll recommend the most is an international program. The one that I didn't view is called Advanced Standing. Okay. Thank you.
00:11:30
Speaker
The Advanced Handing is a program for international dentists that allows you to actually practice everywhere. You can practice in any states. You can practice in Florida, Massachusetts, Texas, New Mexico, it doesn't matter. And then if you want to do a specialty, you can do it later, or actually you can do it before or later, but you need to do this program in order to have an open license, in order to practice everywhere.
00:11:58
Speaker
There is another programs like the AEGD is called Advanced Education General Dentistry or the GPR, the General Practice Residency. Those are postdoctoral programs too, but they will allow you to practice in also some states, like eight states, Florida, also Mississippi, again, Washington state, Oregon,
00:12:20
Speaker
But for example, those programs are actually not eligible to get the license in Texas. So if you're doing an AEGD or GPR, you can't have your license in Texas, for example. But you can have it in Florida. So this subject was really, I will say, confusing for some people. And that's what I write down in my book after I did like a wide research about it.
00:12:50
Speaker
And then pretty much the second year of the whole four years process, because it's a four year process, you have to decide which programs, which program will be best or ideal for you. If you want to practice in Florida, for example, you can do an AEGD or a GPR. I mean, those are programs are, I will say, more friendly in the way that
00:13:13
Speaker
You don't have to go to the university pretty much 24-7. Like the one I did, we used to go Monday to Friday and some Saturdays. And it was a lot of, you know, a lot of subjects. It was very demanding. But these programs are not as demanding as the advanced standing. And then these programs are going to allow you to have your license in Florida, for example. Okay?
00:13:38
Speaker
So it depends on what you want. So just to finish it up, the first year, just concentrating your boards. The second year, it's just do the tuffle and then apply to different programs. And then the other two years, it's just the program itself. The programs are you're supposed to be doing, okay? This 24 years program, 24 months. So after that, then you're eligible to apply to,
00:14:09
Speaker
this taste that you want, that you want to practice on, okay? And well, it depends. In my case, I work in my office, like Tuesday to Friday, the office that I took over, you know, I bought from Dr. Bruca, but I also practice on Monday with another orthodontist with Dr. Combs in Las Cruces. So it just depends. It just depends what you want to do.
00:14:36
Speaker
Valentina, I have a question about the clinical licensure exam. Did you have to take it and do all programs? Obviously, if you're doing... Well, actually, I don't know. If you're doing a residency, like a specialty residency, do you have to also take the clinical licensure exam? Yes. I mean, no one is safe from that exam. You have to do it, no matter what. No matter what, you always have to take the licensure exam, okay? And then usually in the international programs,
00:15:06
Speaker
They're gonna, they're gonna help you, they're gonna train you to do it on the last year. Okay, so I did have to take it and I took it when it was harder. Because in that time, right, the life mission. Now, like after COVID, everything changed. I think it's easier.
00:15:26
Speaker
in the way that you don't have to find a patient like struggle with the patient, please, please just go to your appointment. It's just like really stressful. Right. It was, it was very stressful. Right now everything's on the type of act. And that's right. Yeah. So the, the, with the live patient, there were challenges with, you know, live patients kind of bartering with students, asking for money, kind of demanding in order for them to be seen during these
00:15:50
Speaker
exams and sometimes I would show up and sometimes I wouldn't, so it was a very stressful time. There were some kind of ethical questions behind finding lesions and kind of keeping an eye on them throughout the year so that way you could fill the lesion during the exam. So I think that it changed for the better. I think it still has some challenging portions to it. You've got to practice. Your hand skills have to be there, but I completely agree. I think that it changed for the better and yet no one is safe. No one is safe from the exam for sure.
Family's Adjustment to U.S. Life
00:16:20
Speaker
But Andina, how was it for your family to move countries? Wow. I think it was a big struggle. I think my daughters did great because they were small. I mean, I had Valeria, my oldest daughter, she was, I would say like five or four when we got to the States.
00:16:43
Speaker
And then Vidya, my youngest, was just a baby. She's like a few months old. So she doesn't remember that much. I think it was more of a struggle for Valeria because she was only Spanish speaking. And then we moved to Boston, imagine. Yeah. That's American. Cultural difference, weather difference. I mean, it was just completely different. No one knows how to say hola or anything like that. It's just English.
00:17:10
Speaker
So for her, it was, I think, you know, a big struggle. But I mean, she made it OK. And then also for my husband, my husband was really lucky. I mean, he got a job as soon as we got here. He's an engineer and he got a job in the town and then we moved to Boston. He got another job. I think for him, it wasn't it wasn't that bad. I think it was more for the kids. But well, we survived and then
00:17:34
Speaker
I mean, we're happy here in this area. I love the Southwest. I love you and me. We have- Yeah, we're Southwest girls. Yeah. Enjoy the Southwest. We love being here. I mean, I think it's not for everyone. I have friends that are like El Paso really. I get that too.
00:17:55
Speaker
And then I talked to my other person that live in our past and it's like, you know what, you sleep them. I mean, we're okay over here. I mean, it's up to you. Like each person is different.
00:18:07
Speaker
So I want to talk a little bit about how you and I met. And so one of the cool things about living here in the Southwest is that the dental community as in many places is very close knit. And so we have an oral surgery team in El Paso that has one female oral surgeon who is fantastic.
00:18:25
Speaker
And the men in this practice have invited all the men in the community in the El Paso, New Mexico community to go out fishing. They go out on a fishing trip every year for a week, on a boat, no cell service, live in the dream. And so Dr. Natasha Frischkott had the idea of doing something similar. Obviously, we didn't really want to go fishing.
00:18:46
Speaker
but to have some kind of camaraderie amongst women and so they created what's called the simpaticas which is a group of dental women from around the community that come together and you know we text each other we celebrate our accomplishments and we travel together once a year which is really fun and
00:19:02
Speaker
The trip that Valentina and I met, we went out to Napa and it was just, it was so fun. I think that so much camaraderie was built. We had such a good time, but I think after that, I don't know, I just, I came back with just like a sense of warmth in my heart because of the support that I felt coming out of that trip from the other women on this trip and seeing, you know, their struggles and kind of their journey in dentistry. I thought it was really awesome. How was the experience for you?
Female Dentist Support Trip
00:19:29
Speaker
Wow. I know it was amazing.
00:19:31
Speaker
It was funny because Simpaticas started because their name, the guys was Simpatico, so that was Simpaticas. Well, that first trip to Napa, I think it was just like a, I don't know, like a re-boring for me.
00:19:48
Speaker
is to, you know, enjoying the company of, like you mentioned, like other wonderful women, Dr. Natasha, well, you know, I work with her a lot, because I have a lot of my patients for orthodontic surgeries, not like wisdom teeth, extractions or whatever. And then I met these beautiful women, very smart, you know, women that really inspire you to keep going, you know,
00:20:15
Speaker
It doesn't matter the struggle that you're dealing with right now. There's always a solution. I think we all came back after that trip, just feel of energy or, you know what, I got this, I'm going to do my thing. It was amazing. We were full of energy and wine, both good things.
00:20:39
Speaker
Valentina, during Hispanic Heritage Month, this is a very exciting time and month for us to celebrate our culture and who we are. For you, what is it like to be Hispanic in the dental profession? I know that you help others from everywhere, but for you, what's it like?
Embracing Hispanic Culture
00:20:59
Speaker
Well, I mean, I think being Hispanic,
00:21:04
Speaker
And being Latin, because I'm from South America, it just marks, you know, who I am so much. So, for example, I love dancing, okay? We all, I mean, in South America, you can see like a two-year-old kid just dancing like, oh my God, you can't believe it, right? So it's like in our blood. It's something that is just...
00:21:24
Speaker
very Latin and well in the community is actually allow me to introduce this like dance like dancing rhythms or Stuff like that like here they call it shake it off so I started like going to the assumed by class for many years since I got here and now the instructor left and they're like wait don't you do it? I'm like I'm a dentist like
00:21:52
Speaker
I'm not an instructor, but I know you're doing great. So now I like one of my hobbies is actually teaching. Oh, I love it. Yes. So every Monday and Wednesday I have, I'm an instructor at the gym.
00:22:07
Speaker
And well, we just dance. And then I enjoy a lot just sharing with other women's or Latin rhythms, even though here is a little bit different because we have a lot of Mexican culture and it's a little bit different to like South America, like the whole Latin culture. But it actually has allowed me to introduce a little bit of the fun part of our culture to this culture. So like, you know,
00:22:35
Speaker
dancing with the community. Last week we had the machine awareness day and then we all danced on the courtyard plazas, you know, like a big celebration. It was like over 200 people. So it was, it was just nice. So I really enjoy, you know, representing like my culture of who I am and then used to bring it to people just to enjoy life, to celebrate life.
00:23:03
Speaker
I love it. I love it. And, uh, that sounds like something that the sympathetic guys need to go to is one of your, um, dance classes. Well, I appreciate you so much sharing your story with me and with my listeners. If you had any advice for those who are listening, what would your number one advice be?
Advice for Aspiring Dentists
00:23:22
Speaker
I think my number one advice would be you never give up on your dreams. Okay. If this is something that you want to do,
00:23:29
Speaker
It's just go for it. You just have to organize yourself. There is going to be a bunch of people that are going to tell you that it's impossible, that there is no way, no way that you can do it. And there is impossible. And I will say, I have the same thing. And here I am. Okay. So just believe in yourself. Believe that you can do it. Just do like a planning. Okay. Set your priorities and just do it.
Connecting with Valentina
00:24:00
Speaker
a beautiful message. Valentina, if our listeners would like to connect with you, what's the best way? So you can Google me or you can just send me a direct message in my Instagram. It's at Dr. Maria Valentina Martinez in Israel. I know it's like a song. I know. I mean, it's just way too long, but it's Maria. Dr.
00:24:25
Speaker
dot Maria Valentina Martinez in Instagram. And then you can also find me through our Instagram become dentist USA. Okay. And yeah, anyways, we're here to help. Awesome. Valentina, thank you so much for your time and for being with us today. Thank you so much for having me.
00:24:45
Speaker
Thank you for tuning in to this episode of New Dentist on the Block. Gracias por escuchar. Este episodio, the new dentist on the block. If you'd like to connect to Valentina, you can find her on Instagram at Dr. Maria underscore Valentina Martinez. If you'd like to check out Valentina's book, we have a link in the show notes.
00:25:05
Speaker
Additionally, if you or someone you know is trying to become a dentist in the United States from another country, please check out becomedentistusa.com. Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on YouTube and on all major podcast platforms. We'd love if you would leave a review of the podcast. If you are a new dentist or have a new dentist that you'd like to recommend for the podcast, be sure to send an Instagram message to at new dentist on the block.
00:25:30
Speaker
And don't forget, you can connect with me on Instagram, at tsmyestas.dds. We'll catch you next time.