Alum Teaches Value of Building Patient Relationships

Dr. Nathalie Scarpa-Lota

Dr. Nathalie Scarpa-Lota still remembers her first great success as an RSDM student more than two decades ago. Her patient was an elderly nun named Sister Marie Camillo, who needed a three-unit bridge. “My professor was the famous Dr. Nicholas. He was very tough, and he approved. Anything you could finish with him was good,” she says with a laugh.

Lota, Class of ’91, is also demanding as a faculty member. But her own memories of dental school have fostered a sense of compassion for students.

“When they make mistakes I just quietly talk to them and reassure them that this has happened before, you’re not the first person who’s done this. As long as the patient’s ok, that’s the most important thing,’’ she says.

Dr. Lota graduated from RSDM in 1991 and since 2012  has been a faculty member in the Department of Restorative Dentistry. Before that, she did her residency as a general dentist at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson and worked at the dental office of her dad, Dr. John Scarpa.

But her true calling, she says, is to teach.

“I love working with students. That’s what makes this job exciting,’’ she says. “Every day, you see a student who completed a case or had faculty give them a good review. I love the moment they cement their first crown, or deliver their first set of dentures, and the patient looks at it and cries because they’re so happy. Every day I see that, and that’s what makes this so rewarding.’’

Lota graduated from the University of South Carolina, where she won a scholarship to play golf. Following graduation, she was on the fence about a profession but knew she liked biology. After seeking advice from her dad, she decided to give dentistry a try.

At RSDM, she met her husband, Dr. Christopher Lota, whose brother, Joseph, is also a dentist and RSDM alum (Class of '14)  She insists, however that family gatherings aren’t dominated by stories of extractions and fillings. “We don’t talk about the intricacies of dentistry,’’ she says.

As a professor, Lota believes the most important thing she can teach her students is to respect the dignity of each patient. “I want them to think about the person, not just the procedure,’’ she explains. “It’s important just to say hello and make eye contact. It’s not always easy to come here, and that makes people feel welcome.”

Another essential skill is the ability to listen to patients, says Lota.  “You have to understand what they want and why they’re here.’’

For fourth-year student Rachael Edelman, the most valuable lessons she’s learned from Lota involve building relationships with patients.

“She taught us it’s not just about the person’s mouth,’’ says Edelman. “She’s taught me a lot just by observing her.”

As for Lota’s own powers of observation, they are formidable, says Edelman. “She know what’s going on in all corners of the clinic, at all times.’’