Growing up, Anthony played football and baseball as other boys do and came away with an appreciation for how sports had developed his understanding of people…about working with people as a team. He also played trumpet in the band and he talks about how that experience developed his character as well. But the theme of Anthony’s growing up years snaps into focus when he says, “By the time I was in 7th grade I was already doing geometry. I enjoyed math and science and just enjoyed school tremendously.”
He says that by about the 4th or 5th grade he knew he wanted to be a dentist. He, along with his brothers and sisters, went to see an orthodontist for routine checkups and to see if they needed braces. He says, “I was so enthralled with the doctor’s practice and office, I decided dentistry is what I wanted to do with myself; specifically, I wanted to become an orthodontist.
When I was at the University of Arizona getting ready for dental school I met a local orthodontist, Dr. Jim Weaver, who became a good friend and a strong supporter. When I left in 1989 for dental school at the University of Colorado, the plan was that I would come back and practice orthodontics with him.”
