Email Us
Meet Dr. Overbeck
Hello,
Let me introduce myself. My name is Cara Overbeck, and I’ve been a practicing, Board Certified, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon since 1988. My practice is in Venice, Florida and focuses primarily on dental implants and third molars, or wisdom teeth.
Below, you will find my educational and professional background, training and affiliations, but I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you my feelings about my practice.
Our goal at all times is to provide the highest quality, state of the art care and personal service to our patients. We make every effort possible to ensure that your experience with us is easy and comfortable, from our office environment, to our technology and training, to the selection of our staff. Nothing is more important to me than the good treatment of our patients. We know that going to an oral surgery office is a new experience, and possibly a bit scary to some. We try very hard to dispel that apprehension.
I can not imagine doing anything other than practicing dentistry. I feel that, in many respects, dentistry is about more than teeth and involves other areas of people’s lives. When you think about it, it involves helping, coaching, teaching and motivating. We get to know many of our patients quite well and they sometimes tell us about the impact that we have had on their lives. For instance, one gentleman told us that the dental implants we placed helped give him the confidence to propose to his girlfriend. They have been married for eight years now and have two children. We feel we have a great rapport with our patients and we find that hugely rewarding.
Let me tell you more about what I do and what training I have had. An Oral Surgeon is what is known as a dental specialist. I work very closely with the best dentists in our area to diagnose, plan and provide your dental care, taking all dental and medical factors into consideration. The typical training program for a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon is really quite long and rigorous. This training includes:
- Four years of Undergraduate Study (BA, BS, or equivalent)
- Four years at an accredited Dental School (DMD or DDS)
- Application and selection by an accredited Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery program (highly competitive—one Oral Surgery Program recently accepted only four dentists out of over 145 applicants)
- Once accepted, 4+ years Residency Training in an accredited, hospital-based Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program with surgical rounds and extensive training and experience in Anesthesiology
- passing the much-respected and often-feared, multi-phased Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Board Certification Examination
This training and experience, along with the most advanced technology and great staff, is all focused on you having the most favorable dental experience possible with the highest probability of success. This is what is most important to us. We want to deserve the trust you and your dentist have placed in us and do the very best we can for you.
Below you will find more information on the details of my background and education.
Background and Education
Dr. Overbeck grew up in Sarasota, Florida where she attended Pine View School for the Gifted. She graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology and then obtained her Doctor of Dental Science (DDS) degree from Emory University School of Dental Science in Atlanta, Georgia in 1984, graduating in the top 5 % of her class. After completing a one year general practice residency, Dr. Overbeck completed her residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Albert Einstein School of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center in New York City in 1988.
Dr. Overbeck is a board certified, Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. She is on staff at Venice Regional Medical Center and belongs to a number of local and national organizations, including:
- American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
- American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
- Florida Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
- American Dental Association
- Florida Dental Association
- Sarasota County Dental Association (Past President)
- American Dental Society of Anesthesiology
- Florida Dental Society of Anesthesiology
- International Congress of Oral Implantologists
- American College of Oral Implantology
- American Association of Implant Dentistry
Dr. Overbeck is proud to have been selected by an extensive vote of her peers to be included in the 2004-2005 premier edition of The Best Dentists in America.
Dr. Overbeck has a strong interest and commitment to professional continuing education. She is the founder and director of the Venice chapter of the prestigious Seattle Study Club. This local chapter of the national group is comprised of talented and dedicated dental professionals committed to state of the art treatment and excellence in dentistry. On a monthly basis, nationally renowned speakers and dental educators present the latest and most advanced dental concepts to the area’s best dentists.
Dr. Overbeck also makes her practice available to Charlotte County’s student dental assistants for a portion of their supervised clinical training. This helps promote professional training to better serve the dental community.
Cara Overbeck resides in Sarasota, Florida with her husband and two children, Merrin and Matthew. Cara enjoys boating, kayaking, and spending time with family.