Dr. Cesar Alburez sat down to share his passion for dentistry, family, and his involvement in the Champaign-Urbana community.
Q: What made you come to the Champaign-Urbana community?
Dr. Alburez: That is a great question! I did most of my schooling in the northeast and we thought we would stay there. I was looking for an opportunity to help people, so I started looking for a job at an FQHC (Federally Qualified Health Center), typically these centers help low-income kids and adults, and I loved the idea of giving back. So, I was blessed enough to have the opportunity to start working at Smile Healthy, part of Promise Healthcare (Frances Nelson). I told my wife we would be in central Illinois for 2 years and then likely we would move back to the northeast. That was 8 years ago!
Q: What is your favorite part of the community?
Dr. Alburez: I love the friendliness of the Midwest; people here are just awesome! I like that it is a university town, so you get the best of both worlds. You get a big city feel in a small town and a melting pot of cultures. I genuinely believe it is a hidden gem!
Q: What made you decide to be in the dentist industry?
Dr. Alburez: I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be in the healthcare field. When I was in high school, I volunteered for the American Red Cross and they sent me to a military dental office and honestly fell in love with the profession. I could see how important dentistry was for your overall health and how you can change someone’s life by giving them back their smile or just simply taking away their pain. If I had to do it over again I would, in a heartbeat.
Q: What makes Anderson Dental unique to you?
Dr. Alburez: The fact that our team members really care about our patients, it sounds like a cliché, but I truly see that happening every single day. It is also an incredibly unique practice in which we have 3 dentists with different skill sets, so we can bounce ideas off each other to come up with the best way to treat our patients. We are all very technology friendly and we embrace that. We love keeping up with the latest dental education, technology, and equipment, which translates to a better dental experience.
Q: What is your favorite part about being a dentist?
Dr. Alburez: My favorite part is that you get to meet a wide range of people! You get to know their families and you get to watch their kids grow. I also like that every day is different. You are always challenged and striving to make your next procedure the best one you have done so far. It is a very gratifying profession as well! For example, when you restore someone’s ability to eat or even smile for a family picture, you give them something that they have been missing their whole lives and that could be life changing.
Q: Tell us about your family!
Dr. Alburez: Oh... where do I begin?! I am married to my amazing wife Gaby, and we have 2 children, Lucas and Sabina. They are my rock and my “Why”, it is what motivates me to wake up in the morning and tackle the day! We enjoy the outdoors and are always looking for our next adventure. When we are not working, we are always rushing to our kids after school activities. Lucas enjoys playing hockey and Sabi is learning how to skate. When it is not cold outside, we enjoy going paddle boarding, riding our bikes, or simply going to all the amazing parks that Champaign-Urbana has to offer.
Q: What is your involvement in the community?
Dr. Alburez: I now have the opportunity to pay it forward by being a member of the board at Promise Healthcare, where we are able to make decisions that impact the people that receive care at the health center. I also enjoy doing something that few people know I do! I am a part-time clinical instructor at the Parkland dental hygiene program where I am able to help whenever they need me. It is a phenomenal program and the hygiene students that come out of there are very skilled. In the past 4 years, I was part of the Illini District Dental Society board and just recently turned over the presidency to Dr. John who I get to work with every day. I am also a member of Copper Creek Church and this church was one of the reasons why we decided to give the Midwest a shot. I have to say that the Champaign-Urbana community has given us more than we could ever imagine, and we are proud to call it home now.
If you’re looking for quality dentistry, I invite you to schedule an appointment for yourself and your family members today! Give our office a call at (217) 356-7334 if you have additional questions. I look forward to meeting you!