Dr. Vanessa Mancuso and Walter Moreno recently moved to Victoria Park in 2023 and live directly across from Holiday Park where they enjoy volleyball and pickleball.

“I love the greenery here, and we enjoy our neighbors,” Dr. Vanessa expressed. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming.”

Dr. Vanessa hails from Brooklyn, N.Y. while Walter is originally from Cuba.

“I came over at age seven and grew up in West Palm Beach,” Walter stated. “My mom always said that you’ve got to come over here and take advantage of the opportunity.”

Dr. Vanessa and Walter have worked hard in order to create opportunities for themselves in the field of dentistry and in life. Dr. Mancuso owns Oasis Perio on Broward Blvd. and NE 14th Ave. with Walter at her side managing the practice, which opened in July, 2024.

“I am a service person. I’d take the shirt off of my back for others – even a random stranger,” Dr. Vanessa explained. “I lose sleep over my patients and love to make everyone feel safe and heard.”

Dr. Vanessa, who started out as a financial advisor after graduating from Brooklyn College and was working for Chase in New York City, left the finance world in 2009 and moved to South Florida, leaving behind her parents and sister.

“Freedom made me want to come down here. I had gotten my degree and had made my parents happy, and I was successful,” Dr. Vanessa explained. “Now, it was my turn.”

Dr. Vanessa’s parents were very traditional, but her mom had told her to spread her wings and fly.

“I was always that little butterfly – like a free bird,” Dr. Vanessa said. “My name actually means butterfly.”

Dr. Vanessa, who comes from a heritage of dentists, with her grandfather and uncle being dentists, preferred to be in the dental field.

“As a financial advisor, I liked helping people, but it was different because that is taking care of someone’s money while dentistry is taking care of someone’s health,” Dr. Vanessa expressed. “That really resonated to me more than the financial world did.”

She resided in North Miami and started working with general dentists as a dental assistant.

“When I was a dental assistant, I absolutely loved it, and I was really good at it,” Dr. Vanessa said. “Many dentists told me that I should go to dental school.”

Dr. Vanessa knew that to pursue her career in dentistry that she would need to have more science so she enrolled at FIU and took science core credits.

In 2016, Dr. Vanessa enrolled in New York University’s Dental School and graduated in 2020 with her degree, Doctor of Dental Surgery. She went directly to Boston University where she did a three year program. She attained a Masters in Dentistry and an Advanced Certification in Periodontics.

Dr. Vanessa has a grand total (including her undergraduate work) of 16 years in school. This really shows her determination and resilience.

Dr. Vanessa’s cousin introduced Walter to Dr. Vanessa at her sister’s wedding in Greece in December, 2022. While at the wedding, she told Walter that she would be glad to mentor him. They spoke for hours, and she found out that he really liked dentistry and was just getting started.

As they say, one thing led to another.

Walter is launching his career as a dentist and is enrolling at Nova Southeastern University’s Dental School. He is grateful to have learned so much already from Dr. Vanessa.

In their free time, they love staying active with sports, tackling escape rooms, and exploring new restaurants. A few of their favorites include Takato and Theos Estiatorio. They're also passionate about dancing and listening to a mix of Latin music and country tunes. Watching the sunrise and sunset is another favorite way they connect with nature. Dr. Vanessa is a big fan of Morgan Wallen and Bad Bunny, and their music is always on repeat.

Dr. Vanessa is grateful for her parents because it wasn’t easy for them letting her go. Now, they have followed her to South Florida and reside in Wellington. Her sister lives in New York with her husband and Dr. Vanessa's large extended family. She loves visiting them during the holidays to reconnect and enjoy quality time together.

“That was really difficult for them to set me free so that I could find myself,” Dr. Vanessa said.

Looking forward to what the future brings, Dr. Vanessa and Walter want to be able to continue to help others.

“When you own your own office, you can push the envelope and you set the tone. I love serving people and putting a smile on my patients and providing exceptional care,” Dr. Vanessa expressed.