Son Joins Father In Oral Surgery Practice

By Kendra Bobowick

As a child growing up in Newtown, Christopher Cuomo looked up to his father, Anthony M. Cuomo, and often helped the doctor of dental surgery (DDS) as he worked.

“I actually assisted in the office, that was my first exposure,” said Christopher, who earned a dental degree in 2000, and a medical degree four years later. Christopher attended the University of North Carolina, and worked in general dentistry while completing further training. After what he estimates to be roughly 15 years, he has returned to Newtown — where his father and mother, Patricia, still live — with DDS and MD (medical doctor) designations following his name. He began practicing with his father in the Danbury and Carmel, N.Y., locations of Northeast Implant and Oral Surgery several months ago and will soon begin practicing oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Since childhood, the young Dr Cuomo knew he wanted to pursue dentistry even as he moved through the Newtown school systems and on to North Carolina. He also envisioned growing up to eventually get to work with his father.

“That was my plan from the outset — to come back with my father,” he said. His business plans worked out with his hopes for the future.

He and his wife Kathleen Ferris hoped to move back to Newtown to raise their children and be with family, he said. His parents have lived in Newtown since 1980.

Now that he is settled back in town (father and son now live across the street from each other, on Cannon Drive) with his wife and their three children — McKenna, 4, Christopher Jr, 3, and Macey, seven months — he admits that practicing in the dental field with his father is “absolutely” how he had imagined it as a young man.

“It has been fun, great. My father is a great sounding board for me professionally and personally,” he said.

Anthony Cuomo is pleased to have his son with him in the practice. “This is a dream come true,” he said. He admits that he had been hopeful that Christopher might join him, but had never pushed his son to move back north, or pushed him in the field. “It’s all his desire,” said Anthony.

The two make an unusual pair.

“There are very few fathers with their sons in their footsteps,” he said. “He not only followed, he excelled and should be my boss.”

Anthony Cuomo graduated from Fordham University and was at first a pharmacist before learning dentistry. He attended the New York School of Dentistry and within six months he knew he wanted to learn surgery. He completed his residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx. He has been practicing between Danbury and Carmel since 1977.

Christopher Cuomo’s background includes training in oral and maxillofacial surgery at the University of North Carolina, and trauma training at Mission Hospital and St Joseph’s Hospital in North Carolina. He also donated time in Guatemala performing cleft lip and palate surgery. Christopher attended Newtown Schools and received a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and completed a year of graduate study and research at the University of Connecticut.

Christopher has also been invited to be a guest speaker at an upcoming seminar. He will be lecturing in Albany in late October.

The doctors’ Danbury office can be reached at 797-0008.