EIOH Resident Spotlight - Dr. Kevin Winegar
Kevin Winegar, DDS, of Midland, Michigan, was named the Chief Resident in the EIOH Periodontics Residency Program. After graduation, he is headed to Kalamazoo, Michigan to join fellow alum Dr. Chris Leja (Perio ‘13) in private practice.
Q. Any presentations at conferences?
A. Poster presentations at American Association of Periodontics annual meeting in Phoenix AZ, and at Europerio in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Q. Best memory of your EIOH residency?
A. Getting married to my wife, a former general dentistry resident (Connie Yoon Winegar). The wedding was done while still in COVID restrictions. Instead of waiting another year or two we decided to have it in our dining room. Our parents were on zoom, with a fellow resident (Nasser Assery) as the officiant, and another fellow resident (Maria El-Hussani) as the witness. Followed by a reception in our living room with Perio and General Dentistry residents.
Q. What way did your EIOH experience allow you to grow professionally?
A. Coming straight from Dental School, EIOH allowed me to continue with my education while fostering a sense of professionalism. While the program is intense, I have come out of it with the clinical and didactic knowledge to feel confident and successful no matter where I practice.
Q. What way did your EIOH experience allow you to grow personally?
A. While in the time at EIOH, I have been married three times (to the same person), have made friends that I will keep in contact with for life, and was connected with my future employer. Overall EIOH was incredibly beneficial for me both professionally and socially.
Q. What’s the best advice you ever received?
A. I was told when I started this residency that “ It will be very difficult, and there will be times along the way where you regret this decision, but in the end you will realize it
as all worth it.” And I definitely have.
Q. Favorite part of Rochester?
A. My favorite part of Rochester is the ease of living. Residency is hard enough, who wants to deal with traffic, high rent, etc.
Q. The one thing you can’t live without?
A. Well as a periodontal resident I would say a periodontal probe
Q. A person who has inspired you?
A. The person that inspired me the most was a periodontal faculty from NYU names Dr. Ron Lehane. He was the one that convinced me to go into perio and I still remember his lessons to this day.
Q. The one thing you’ve always wanted to do but never have?
A. I have always wanted to travel and explore the world more than I have. My wife and I have loose plans to visit Japan/ SE Asia, as well as Europe.
Q. If you could change one thing about yourself, it would be?
A. Nothing, I wouldn’t change a thing.
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