Testimonials

From Middle East April 8, 2012

Dear Dr Heffez 

Now and for many weeks I thought about how can reply the email that you sent me. Tried to describe how grateful I was to have trained under you. But the only thing I could come up with is this. I am currently an Assistant professor at a university, a successful practitioner, an Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon, and a head of a household. My life I owe it to my father and mother, every thing else I owe it to you sir. Thank you for that. 

Wish you a wonderful and a happy life, and hope to see you soon. 

Ala

From Middle East March 10, 2012

Dear Dr. Heffez
 
I am sorry for my delayed response to your email. But I was hoping to come up with words and sentences to respond back, but I was not able to find the right words to thank you enough. You have been very influential in my OMFS career and I ought all that to you. I have become the first Kuwaiti OMFS trained in North America, and first Kuwaiti who is Diplomat of American Board of OMFS. Now I am at Kuwait University as you know since 2003, recently promoted to Associate Professor. Currently, the Director of Clinics, at Kuwait University Dental Center.

I have learned a lot from you not just OMFS, but even at personal level , you have taught me to be a leader, I will never forget your one to one tution to me earlier in my residency time and the attention you have spent on me, and your constant support and  words of encouragement.

Looking back , you have achieved a lot and the UIC school has gained a lot under your leadership. You have done a lot for the school and you have touched a lot of young surgeons’ career and life.
Thank you so much once again and wish you good health, happiness and good luck in your life after retirement. You really deserve a good rest, and to enjoy relaxed life. You have left a career everyone would be proud of to be in his/her resume.

I am sure we will get in touch in future in the States or during international conferences.
 
Sincerely,
Adel

March 25, 2012

Les

I am honored to have trained under you and would not be where I am today without your guidance and help over the years.  You taught me to be a good skilled oral surgeon along with learning how to care about my patients on a personal level, keep a proper perspective on what is important in life (even though I still work too hard), and to challenge myself- just to list a few thoughts.  Your commitment to any patient was an inspiration to me, whether it was a simple procedure in the clinic or  a major OR case.  You connected with every patient on a personal level and truly cared about them.  You also gave 110% of your skills and time to make sure the patient received quality treatment. That is hard to find in a lot of surgeons.  I really took this to heart and try to do the same thing everyday. 

You challenged me to be better and push myself. This was on both a personal and professional level. You led by example and often didn’t have to say anything. I think I did OK but definitely had my moments!  But I knew you wanted me to be the best I could be.  I am lucky to say I know you as a friend and a colleague. Best wishes in your future endeavors.

I heard your father is ill.  My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

George

March 8, 2012

Hello Dr. Heffez,
 
Well this news bought about a lot of emotion.  It is a sad day for OMS but at the same time I feel fortunate to have trained under your guidance.  I hope you know that there are many patients receiving the best of care every single day not just here but all over the globe because of you. 
 
The programs you list demonstrate your legacy but don’t tell the real story.  They don’t tell of the impacts that even you may not realize.  They don’t tell of the first year resident, phobic of speaking and presenting, who after the first grand rounds is called into an office shaking and told that he will present weekly until the phobia is gone.  That same person now can’t stop speaking up and standing up for this profession…comfortable as president of a state dental society or testifying before the senate.  All because of you!  Maybe the daily meeting in the corner office just to review the cases for the week with one on one teaching…maybe that is the real legacy…maybe the small things mean the most and lead to the big things.  One will never know.  I know one thing…back in 1994…choosing to leave Boston and head to Chicago was the outlier opportunity…who would have ever known.
 
I wish you the best in all of your new goals and aspirations!
 
I will be in Chicago at the end of the month and then again in May.  We need to have dinner and catch up one of these times.
 
All my best,
Rich Rosato

March 8, 2012

Dear Leslie

Since I saw you first time, almost twenty one years ago, you have been always my role model and  I’m sure that it was not just me who thought of you like that.  You have achieved in one life what 10 successful people couldn’t have. I remember one day I was talking about you to a friend who did not know you and then she stopped me and said “I’m sure that that Heffez guy you are talking about is a genius and everything but I want you to know that he is not God”.  The only thing that really make me feel bad sometimes is that I let you down when I left the program years ago. A decision that affected my life significantly and I regret it till now. By the way you told me that when I was quitting that I would regret that for the rest of my life. However, when I went home I have met my wife which is the best thing ever happened to me and now we have three wonderful children. 

Now, as you already know, I work as an associate professor at the dept of OMFS, in UDMercy. I mainly teach the undergrads and help with the residents. I work one day in a center of family health in a different city here in Michigan one day a week, which is mainly 3rd molars and surgical extractions. I bought a nice house in Novi city. My wife, who is a pharmacist, finished Part one of the Pharm Board and currently finishing a Master’s degree of Health Care Administrations from the UD Mercy. My mother and the rest of the family in Egypt are doing fine and every time I talk to them they say to me that moving back to the USA was the right decision at the right time, especially with the present problems in the middle east in general.

If you are still the same Leslie whom I knew, I’m sure you will be as busy as ever in no time. I just hope that you can have some good time for yourself and your family. I always mention your name proudly every time someone asks me about who was my mentor. I’m sure you know how much respect, love and appreciation I have for you and I was honored that you remembered me among others and sent me that email. I wish you the best always and please keep in touch.

Ayman
 
Ayman ElMadawy DDS, MS, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor
University of Detroit Mercy, School of Dentistry
Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

March 5, 2012

LESLIE,
 
ANNE AND I WERE EXTREMELY SADDENED TO HEAR YOU ARE LEAVING.  IT WAS JUST LAST WEEK I WAS READING THE UIC NEWSLETTER AND SAW YOUR NAME AMONGST A BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT ARE UNKNOWN TO ANNE AND I.
 
IT IS ALMOST  LIKE ANY CONNECTION I HAD WITH THE PROGRAM IS GONE.  
 
YOU WERE AND ARE AN EXTREMELY SKILLED SURGEON.  MY 2ND ASSIST IN THE OR WAS ANNE! AND IN 6.9 YEARS OF DOING EVERYTHING THAT WAS THROWN AT ME, I NEVER EVER HAD A REDO OR REPEAT OR HAD A POOR OUTCOME… I THINK I REFERRED 2 HALIFAX TO CASES IN THAT TIME PERIOD DUE TO BRAIN INJURIES AS PART OF THE PROBLEM.  OUR NEUROSURGEON HAD RESTRICTED DUTIES AND I DID NOT FEEL COMFY WITH HIM GETTING INVOLVED IF I NEEDED HIM.
 
I WAS NERVOUS FOR BIGGER CASES IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS AND IT TOOK ME 20% LONGER BECAUSE POOR ANNE HAD TO COME UP TO SPEED.  IT WAS LIKE TAKING A FIRST YEAR RESIDENT AND SHOWING THEM THE ROPES.  IT WAS TOUGH BUT WORTH IT.  TOWARDS THE END OF MY SECOND YEAR, WE WERE DOING 2 DOUBLE JAW CASES PER DAY, EVERY MONDAY BETWEEN 8 AM START AND 5 PM FINISH… I RARELY WENT OVER AND IF IT WAS 430 PM AND WE WERE PUTTING THINGS BACK TOGETHER AND I CHECKED THAT LAST TIME, AND THINGS WERE OFF…OUT CAME ALL THE SCREWS AND PLATES AND I WENT BACK AND FOUND OUT WHY THIS WASN’T EXACTLY LIKE IT SHOULD BE.  I WOULD FIND THE PROBLEM AND FINISH LATE BUT THAT IS THE WAY I WAS TRAINED AND IT GAVE ME GREAT SATISFACTION DRIVING HOME THAT THE EXTRA WORK WAS THE PROPER THING TO DO.  IT IS IRONIC THAT I WORKED WITH SO MANY ENT AND ORTHOPODS AT THE HOSPITAL AND THEIR WORK WAS JUST SO AVERAGE, THAT IT EVEN MADE ME WANTING TO GIVE BETTER CARE AND NEVER JUST DO SOMETHING AND GET BY…IT WAS THE WAY I WAS TRAINED BY YOU!
 
I REMEMBER ONE NIGHT WE WERE DOING THE LEFORTE III FRACTURE CASE AT UIC WHERE THE COYOTE CHASED A DOG OFF AN OVERHEAD TRAIN TRACK AND THE DOG CAME THROUGH THE WINDOW OF A CAR AND STRUCK A NICE BLACK LADY, SHATTERING THIS LADIES FACE.  WE WERE UP LATE, REALLY LATE AND YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND ASTROLOGY ( PROBABLY TO KEEP ME AWAKE! ).  YOU TALKED FOR OVER AN HOUR WHILE DOING THIS COMPLEX CASE.  I WILL REMEMBER THAT NIGHT FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE YOUR DISCUSSION WAS SO DETAILED.  YOU THEN WENT OVER THE PROGRAM AT BOSTON AND BEING UP LATE AND IN EARLY DOING YOUR RESEARCH FOR YOUR MASTERS.  WE TALKED A LOT AND I LEARNED SO MUCH.
 
I WAS EXTREMELY WELL TRAINED COMING FROM CHICAGO.  TODAY, FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, THERE IS MUCH LESS RESIDENTS AND THEREFORE THE VOLUME WOULD BE DOWN…I IMAGINE A LOT OF THE HOSPITALS WE WENT TO ARE NO LONGER ROTATIONS.  I WAS KINDA JEALOUS THAT YOU KEPT ADDING DIMENSIONS TO YOUR PROGRAM WHEN I LEFT, KENTUCKY/PATHOLOGY BEING ONE EXAMPLE.
 
I ALWAYS ENVISIONED YOU AS BEING LIKE DAN LASKIN, TEACHING FOREVER.  I COULD ONLY IMAGINE THE DEGREE OF STRESS AND CONFLICTS THAT AROSE WITH YOU HAVING ANOTHER PERSON COME IN TO REPLACE WHAT YOU HAD STARTED AND BUILT UP.
 
I DON’T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY WHAT I WROTE FOR YOU WAY BACK A FEW YEARS AGO BECAUSE WE DID NOT GET THE OUTCOME THAT YOU NEEDED TO CONTINUE YOUR WORK.  THAT BEING SAID, I LOOK AT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND IT  IS TESTIMONY TO THE WORK THAT YOU PUT  IN TO THE PROGRAM AND NOBODY CAN REMOVE THAT.  A LOT OF THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT TRAINED UNDER YOU ARE HAVING SUCCESSFUL CAREERS DUE TO YOUR EFFORTS.  I REMEMBER DOING THE INTERVIEW CIRCUIT AND THERE WERE 4 OR 5 PROGRAMS THAT I NEVER EVEN RANKED BECAUSE THEIR PROGRAM WAS SO SO SO DEFICIENT IN TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE OFFERED TO RESIDENTS..YOU HAD TAKEN UIC AND PROBABLY MADE IT ONE OF THE TOP PROGRAMS IN NORTH AMERICA.
 
I HOPE YOU ENJOY PRIVATE PRACTICE AT FULL OR PART TIME AS YOU DESIRE.  I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN MANY A LATE NIGHT THINKING IF YOU WERE DOING THE RIGHT MOVE BY LEAVING UIC.  LIFE IS SO DAMN SHORT, THAT I WOULD ONLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO THINGS THAT MAKE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY LIFE BETTER.  IN THE END, YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT.  ANNE AND I HAVE LEARNED THAT MONEY IS GREAT BUT IT DOESN’T BUY HAPPINESS AND YOU DON’T NEED MUCH TO GET BY.
 
I AM JUST GOING TO START MY TREATMENT FOR THE DAY SO I MUST LET YOU GO.  PLEASE FEEL AT EASE WITH YOUR DECISION AS YOU HAVE TOILED VERY HARD AND THE LAST FEW YEARS MUST HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO HAVE PEOPLE WALK IN TO A PROGRAM THAT YOU WORKED NIGHT AND DAY TO BUILD. I CANNTO REPEAT THAT SENTENCE ENOUGH IN THIS LETTER.
 
THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT MEMORIES.  WE WILL CROSS PATHS SOONER THAN LATER HOPEFULLY.  I CONTINUE TO SCRAPE AND SCROUNGE AND DO ANYTHING I CAN TO OVERCOME THIS LAST PIECE OF MY NEUROPATHIC PAIN.  EVEN IF IT GETS A BIT MORE CONSISTENT, WITHOUT THE MANY VALLEYS OF INCREASED PAIN, I WILL BE ABLE TO TO GO BACK TO WORK IN SOME CAPACITY AT SOME POINT.  I AM GOING TO PENCIL A BOOK ON THIS SOME DAY AND I WILL MAKE SURE YOU GET A COPY!  THE ERIN BROCHOVICH STORY HAS SO MANY SIMILARITIES IT IS FRIGHTENING.
 
ALL THE BEST TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AS YOU RESET NEW GOALS IN YOUR LIFE.
 
KIND REGARDS,
 
DUNCAN

March 5, 2012

Thank you for all of this but more importantly, the great training then and the great friendship now.  Congratulations on a wonderful career.  Nice touch going out on a Leap Year!!! 
 
On another note, the CAOMS “national” meeting is going to be held in Chicago in May 2013.  Would you be interested in speaking at it or moderating a session?  We would be honored.
 
Please keep in touch.
 
Best wishes always.
Frank

From The Middle East

March 5, 2012

Dear Dr Heffez

I received ur email with a lot of mixed feelings. I hope everything is going well for you. As I’m not really aware of all the details and circumstances regarding that decision, I cannot really judge or comment on it. The only thing I’m sure about is that a lot of people who attended UIC under your supervision, including me, are very thankful and grateful for all the education and training they got during the years they spent there. I have unforgettable memories from my time there. I look at the years I spent with you at UIC as great learning experience that has tremendously influenced my clinical, academic and personal life.

On the other hand, that should mean that you will be having more  free time on your hand. As I read in your e mail that you will be seeking New Horizons, and I hope you really mean that, I wish you could look towards the middle east horizon and consider putting Egypt on your list. Right now, I’m working as a Professor of OMFS at a relatively new private University in Egypt (Future University) that has great potentials, and we are really seeking to have international affiliations and international experienced staff members like yourself. Main fields that we can cooperate in, in my opinion, are going to be continued education courses. We can also include some other fields like post- or even undergraduate education. We are just starting to structure our continued education programs in the various fields of dentistry. We recently got a new TMJ arthroscope in our department, and could definitely need your expertise in that field with our continued or postgraduate education. Just give it a thought, and we WILL definitely talk soon insha Allah.
 
Your Student
Sameh Mekehmer BDS, MDS, MS (UIC), PhD
Professor OMFS
Cairo University, Future University
Former Head OMFS Dept and Vice Dean for Postgraduate Education, October 6th University  

March 2, 2012

Thank you for taking the time to share this information with me.

Working with you and the Dept. is definitely one of the highlights of the time I spent at the College, and I hope that you are comfortable with your decision and that you are looking forward to spending more of your time in practice and in pursuing personal goals.  I’ve noticed many who have left the faculty have moved on to teach at Midwestern University. Will you?

I just received the latest issue of the College magazine and, after leafing through it, had two thoughts.  One, that I should write you (which I honestly planned to do!) to congratulate you on yet another Golden Apple Award, and two, that I should write Bill Bike and ask him to remove me from the mailing list.  It’s amazing how many people I worked with have moved on, and how few people I see on those pages who I remember.  Even Indru Punwani is retiring, and I thought I would never see that happen.  But it will be six years at the end of May since I retired, and that has brought a lot of changes.

I wish you only the best in whatever directions who choose to take in this next phase of your life.

I will always value my memories of working with you.
Joyce

March 2, 2012

I hope this is all good for you.  I certainly never doubted your integrity.

Thanks for the heads up and hope to run into you again soon at some point. I also hope your daughter is enjoying her Ann Arbor experience.   Great school and town.  Remember if you ever want to go and experience the Big House for a football game just let me know.

I always look back very fondly on my residency days and an enormous part of that was your tutelage and friendship.  Congratulations!

All the best to you and the family.

Russ

March 2, 2012

Thank you very much for the note. I was blessed and privileged to learn from you. I am currently on a ski trip in Kamloops B.C. I’d like to respond more appropriately upon my return next week.

Respectfully.
Andrew

March 1, 2012

Hi Les,

Thank you so much for your-mail. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you and your residents over the years. I wish you much success in the next chapter of your life. Please keep in touch!
Mitchell

March 1, 2012

Dr. Heffez:

With nostalgic feelings I receive your news.
I wish you the best in your new endeavours!!!
Me and my family keep you always very present with only positive thoughts.
Warm regards,

P.S: I have a case I’d like to share with you and get your opinion (Just to keep you entertained..haha)
 
German

March 1, 2012

Free at last!, Free at last!, Thank God almighty, you’re free at last!!!

MLK had nothing on you. Congratulations for a rich and rewarding academic career.  You have been a great mentor and teacher not only to your students, but to many of us as well.
I was just at Turesky’s Lake house in New Hampshire this past weekend.  I suggested to him that we go to the Chicago Implant Conference this year. Hopefully we can all get together.
Stay  well,

Rick

March 1, 2012

Leslie,
 
Congratulations on your retirement from the university, you accomplished quite a bit and I was happy to have you as a mentor.  I would love to meet with you for lunch or breakfast sometime to catch up.  Please let me know your   availability.  Best of luck in the future.
 
Julie

March 1, 2012

Mazel Tov, to you, Les! Now you can enjoy the real world. Make your own hours, take vacation whenever you want and for how long, enjoy your wife and kids even more. I am very happy for you. You’ve accomplished so much professionally at the U, and now its time to start the next chapter in your life.
 
But I am mostly grateful to you, for the guidance, care and instruction you shared with me over my dental school and residency years. So many fond memories: Watching you fall asleep at the breakfast table after a 24 hour orthognathic case with cranial graft, picking me up at my house in your Mazda with the temperature reading -20 in your car, and Stacey having Lauren and me over for Shabbat dinner are just a few. Your kind manner and demand for excellence has played a large part in who I am today. And for that, Les, I cannot express my gratitude to you. I do have a very warm place in my heart for you.
 
I’ll miss you schlepping down Deerfield road to catch the train in the mornings as I am driving westbound.  By the time I recognized you and honk, I’d already passed you.
 
I hope we can get together soon to celebrate your accomplishments at the U and the beautiful future which lies ahead for you and Stacey.
 
Always,
 
Barry

February 29, 2012

Dear Leslie,

It is both, sad and happy news. Sad because the University and future residents are going to miss out on a wonderful educator and  mentor. I ,however,  realize that by moving on you are turning over a new  leaf and will ,ultimately, be much happier.

I wanted to thank you again for contributing to my education and being a wonderful mentor.

Please, let me know where you will be practicing aside from HP.

If an opportunity presents, I would love to do an orthognathic case with you in the future.

Thank you again for your dedication and mentorship.

Kind regards,
Walter Tatch

P.S. There is a new P90x that just came out. I heard it is incredible. I’ll let you know.

February 29, 2012

Aloha Leslie,

Congratulations on your retirement! I am so happy for you.

I have always told everyone that you were one of my greatest mentors in life, not only OMFS. 

You are always in my thoughts and please keep in touch with me.
I know that we will meet up in the future at one of the meetings or when I am in Chicago. 

If you are ever in Hawaii, promise me that you will look me up.

Mahalo,
Cam

February 17, 2012

Dear Dr Heffez,

It is goodbye for the College but definitely NOT a goodbye for you and me….

You’re really the finest surgeon I’ve ever work with and I really enjoy working together and learning from you from case to case. Thank you for being my mentor and my friend and caring for our patients.

Looking forward to many more years working together.

All the best

Budi

February 17, 2012

That is really sad news! Big lost for UIC COD. But I am honored to have you as a professor, teacher and a father!

Good wishes!
George Barsa

February 18, 2012

Very sorry to hear you’re leaving Dr. Heffez! You’ll be greatly missed! I always feel like I learn so much every time I’m lucky enough to work with you.
 
Best of luck with everything!
 
Sincerely,
 
Ben

February 19, 2012

Dear Dr. Heffez,

I just read your message. It makes me so sad. Is everything ok? You are such a great teacher and person and oral surgeon. I don’t want you to leave UIC. You have helped me so much and been so kind to me. I want you to do what makes you happy but I also don’t want to lose you and don’t want the College of Dentistry to lose you. No one cares about the students and patients as much as you do. And all the students and patients love you so much because we all see that you genuinely care about us.

I am glad we are meeting on Tuesday.

Thank you for all your support, encouragement and help. I truly appreciate having you in my life. I am very grateful for you and everything you have taught me about loving patients and loving dentistry.

Do you need help with anything? I know it is very hard for you to leave the school so if there is anything I can do to make it easier for you then please let me know.

Sincerely,

Mary

Mary Sturgeon, BA, RDH
Clinical Research Coordinator
Office of Research (MC 621)
College of Dentistry
University of Illinois at Chicago
RM 339A
801 South Paulina Street
Chicago, IL 60612-7212

Dr. Heffez,

As your last day at the College approaches, I wanted to thank you.  It’s difficult to put into words how much I appreciate your hard work, kindness, and dedication to your students.  I’m sure I speak for many when I say that I admire your great knowledge and patience that have been such a benefit to our education.  Even during the busiest of times, you found a way to provide an educational moment and to make sure everything was done properly and without haste.  You truly are one of a kind, and I’m so thankful to have had the experience of learning from you.  I only wish that you would have allowed myself and my classmates the opportunity to be able to give you a proper goodbye. 

Thank you again, and good luck!  You will be missed.

February 28, 2012

Hello Dr. Heffez!
 
I was out of town when I received this email or I would have responded much sooner.  I just wanted to thank you for all that you have taught me over the past few years!  (And for saving my life of course 😉 That will always be a memorable moment in my career no matter what happens, ha ha ha) It is obvious to all that you are a very intelligent doctor and you have made your knowledge available to us in an interesting and engaging manner. 

Thank you for always being patient and understanding. I really appreciate how you always made time for me no matter how chaotic the day!  Thank you for always being approachable and for teaching in such a way that oral surgery went from something so intimidating to something really fun!  You not only exposed me to the principles of oral surgery (and related medicine), but helped me overcome my nerves and obtain skills that will be very important in my career.  Your calm demeanor and vast knowledge made you a perfect person to learn from.

You have contributed greatly to my education and I wish you the best in whatever may lie ahead in your life and career!
 
Aryn Pittman

March 5, 2012

Dr. Heffez –

I’m sorry I didn’t get to give you a big, sloppy, wet goodbye kiss!  I headed to OS a couple of times last week hoping to find you but either never made it there or you weren’t available.

I wish you the very best! You are one of the kindest people I know and I enjoyed our interactions.  I also can’t thank you enough for treating my niece.  I felt so cared for and confident having you as her doctor.  If there is every anything I can do for you, please let me know.

Take care!

– Lea

February 17, 2012

Dr. Heffez,

I was saddened to see your goodbye e-mail and want you to know that you will be greatly missed by myself and the rest of the dental student body. You have served as a personal mentor for me and have taught me so much that I am very grateful to you. If it were not for your guidance and ability to teach us so well, I do not believe I would have been interested in pursuing Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

For what it is worth, I want to you to know that I have great admiration for you and will always remember the impact you made on my life.

Thank you for everything that you have done for us.

Sincerely,

Matthew