“All A-Board!” Article Series: Drs. Jose & Kristel Burgos
Compiled by Rae Burach
Husband and wife Jose Burgos, DMD, MS and Kristel Burgos, DMD embarked on their Board-certification journey together and were both pinned at AAE23. They attended the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine and served as active-duty endodontists in the U.S. Army for several years. After practicing, teaching, and starting a family in Texas, they recently returned to Puerto Rico to start a new chapter. Read more about their path to Board-certification:
AAE: Why did you decide to get Board-certified?
JB: Board certification is the pinnacle of our profession. It was always my goal to become board certified, and it’s an honor to now be a Diplomate. I feel very proud of that title because it represents many years of hard work and commitment to my profession and our patients.
KB: Since the begging of residency, the mentors and previous residents from our program helped shaped that goal for me. I learned the meaning of Board-certification in our profession, and it meant that I would excel in my ongoing journey, so it naturally became the next step.
AAE: How long were you practicing endodontics before getting Board-certified?
JB: After finalizing the portfolio, which was the last step of becoming Board-certified, it all took a little over two years into practicing and teaching full time at the Ft Cavazos’ AEGD-2 residency.
KB: With the pandemic, the plan of challenging the oral boards was delayed one year. I finally got Board-certified after practicing for two years.
AAE: How long did you prepare for the various parts of the exam, and what was this process like? How did you balance your career, personal life, and exam prep?
JB: For me the process started early, while in residency. Our mentors inspired us since the beginning to set our goals in becoming a diplomate for our specialty. Studying hard while taking care of a family is tough, especially when your partner is also studying for the boards. But we quickly realized it was truly a blessing. We both understood well what the other was going through, and study sessions became a family event. That is essentially how we tackled the written and oral portions of the board. For the patient portfolio portion, I tried to start early during residency, looking out for uniquely challenging cases. I eventually prepared many more cases than I needed for the portfolio since, inevitably, some of them moved, changed info or even deployed.
KB: Tackling each part was a very different process, the written portion was an ongoing preparation since I took it towards the end of residency and most of the information was still fresh. I believe there was a period of intense preparation for about a month. The oral boards were definitely the most challenging part, we had practiced mock boards about twice a year during residency plus a mock board during a board review course in Maryland. We dedicated two months of intense preparation for the oral portion. The portfolio was absolutely the most time-consuming part because you want to be meticulous and accurate, putting together the portfolio and editing everything took about three months.
AAE: What has been the most profound benefit(s) of being Board-certified?
JB: This process has taught me a lot. One of the most valuable lessons is probably how to stay up to date with the best available evidence. That has a ripple effect on so many things such as how we treat our patients, how we teach young prospects and how we carry the profession forward.
KB: Being Board-certified has helped me prioritize staying up to date with the latest scientific knowledge to provide a higher level of care and educate anyone open to new information. In a teaching environment, particularly in the military, board certification might be a requirement of that position. I enjoy teaching, and being Board-certified has contributed to providing a higher-level education to my students.
AAE: What advice would you give to an endodontist who wants to get Board-certified, but is hesitant to make such a commitment?
JB: My advice would be to give it their best shot. There is no better opportunity to grow as a professional in our field, and the benefits extend to our patients and our profession. Board-certification was one of the most challenging and most rewarding experiences that I am proud to have conquered, and if I had to do it again, I would do it in a heartbeat.
KB: I always say that one’s personal and professional goals should be defined by the individual. If demonstrating to yourself, to your patients and to your mentees how committed you are to elevating your educational and clinical performance by preparing to complete Board-certification, I think the path to Board-certification is for you. It seems daunting but you have successfully completed the hardest part of all (dental school and residency) this last step is just a bit more work that, in the end, will feel very rewarding. As a bonus you will become a guiding force to many aspiring board candidates that will learn from your experience.
AAE: Where are you currently practicing?
JB: We recently moved back home to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. After many years of studying and active-duty military service, we decided it was our priority to be closer to family, friends and, of course, the beach.
KB: After transitioning from active duty in the army, I practiced briefly in Texas while preparing for a big move back to the warm island of Puerto Rico where I grew up and where I now practice among friends and close to family!
Rae Burach is the AAE’s integrated communications specialist.