After earning her DDS from the University of Brasilia in Brazil, Dr. Nanci L. Oliveira was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in oral sciences. “I wanted to find out if it was possible to help patients to breathe better through their noses after orthodontic therapy,” she said.
So she went online and contacted several dental schools around the world. Speaking four languages (English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish), her options appeared to be many, but she found few schools were interested in her research. One of them was the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry, represented by Dr. Carla Evans, Head of the Department of Orthodontics.
“Other schools didn’t have the nasal equipment I needed,” the Brazilian dentist recalled. “UIC not only had it, but Dr. Evans said my research sounded very interesting, she wanted me to come, and she supported me to do so.”
Dr. Evans would prove to be right, as that project would eventually be recognized nationally for its importance. Dr. Oliveira’s research won the first prize in last year’s American Association of Orthodontists Resident/Student Scholar Competition.
Not only did she end up earning a certificate in ortho and an MS in oral sciences from the College in 2005, but she also met her husband-to-be in Chicago. She and businessman Renato De Felippe, also a Brazilian émigré, were married Jan. 14, so she now is Dr. Nanci L. De Felippe. Dr. De Felippe also was hired by the ortho department as a Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor.
In her new post, Dr. De Felippe has three major responsibilities: coordinating the predoctoral orthodontics courses, assisting and supervising the postgrad students in the ortho clinic, and seeing patients in the Dr. Allen W. Anderson Faculty Practice Clinic.
“I want to have more communication with the predoctoral students,” she explained. “In the past, they did not always know what to expect, so I want to tell them ahead of time about grading and requirements. I also want them to like and understand ortho and motivate them to consider becoming orthodontists in the future.”
Dr. De Felippe also feels she can be of help to the residents. “I’ve been a resident here, I know what they’ve been through, so I can give them tips on what to do and how to organize their time,” she explained.
As for patients, “I want to provide them with ideal orthodontic care, and I really like working with patients with special needs,” Dr. De Felippe said.
Dr. De Felippe was excited to join the faculty. “I feel I owe this school a lot; it simply was a wonderful experience being here,” she said. “I met so many people here that I love, and I missed them after I graduated, so it was good for me to come back to such a homey place where I feel like everyone is family.”
Before joining the Residency Program, Dr. De Felippe did a Fellowship at UIC’s Craniofacial Center and she plans to develop research in this field with Dr. Adriana Da Silveira, her mentor. Dr. De Felippe and her husband live in Chicago but love to travel, and she would like to learn a fifth language, she said. She also enjoys volunteer work. “I was involved in a program in which I visited public schools in the Chicago area to tell children about Brazil and its culture,” she explained.
Dr. De Felippe concluded that “I really want the dental students to come to me and ask for advice. I know once you’re in your third year, it’s difficult to decide whether to specialize, do research, or do general practice. I’m here to help.”