TOMS RIVER – He isn’t a rock star or a politician but Dr. Santiago A. Centurion has quite a following. He heads four Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center offices, the latest of which opened recently in the township.
Toms River Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center had a soft opening a month ago but a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring family members, friends, staff, patients and Township Council President Craig Coleman.
The new office is part of Dermatology Associates of Central New Jersey which offers a wide range of the most advanced dermatology procedures throughout the communities of Old Bridge, Freehold, Union and now at 780 Route 37 West, Suite 100, Toms River.
Dr. Centurion is the director of the practice and a board-certified dermatologist, dermatopathologist, and Mohs surgeon whose facilities provide healthcare, immediate access to the newest, most advanced techniques and treatments in medical dermatology, Mohs surgery, cosmetic dermatology, and laser procedures. In addition, he is an affiliate physician with Robert Wood Johnson Hospital.
His wife, Cristina Centurion is a nurse practitioner who along with her husband has seen the growth of the organization over 20 years. “We started in Old Bridge which is the main office and worked with a friend of ours and he retired and so my husband took over the practice. We aren’t part of a big conglomerate. Our office has different names but is all the same.”
“We specialize in skin cancer and Mohs surgery,” she added. Regarding Mohs surgery, “he has done over 2,000 cases annually from the Freehold office alone so probably 3,000 a year.”
She said her husband “finished his residency in 2003” at one of the largest schools of health sciences of its kind, the University of Medicine and Dentistry which is considered the leading research university in the state.
Before joining Dermatology Associates, Dr. Centurion was chief of dermatologic surgery at the East Orange Veterans Hospital. He specializes in the treatment and evaluation of skin cancer.
“In addition to that we do cosmetic dermatology and we offer PRP which is plasma for anti-aging and hair growth. We do the gamut of things in dermatology and cosmetology,” his wife added.
She noted that patients today are justifiably demanding, wanting everything from classic solutions to dramatic new noninvasive cosmetic treatments that can make a huge difference, such as CoolSculpting.
Whether it’s treating skin conditions like acne, rashes, or skin infections; pigment issues like tattoo removal or vitiligo; Botox to get rid of facial lines and wrinkles; mole or wart removal; or countless other concerns, the organization’s professionals can be trusted on to provide expert care.
Dr. Centurion said the members of his team are highly educated and, just as importantly, extremely compassionate people. He noted that his career is firmly rooted in New Jersey, starting with his residency in dermatology, fellowship in dermatopathology, and training in Mohs surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Dr. Centurion has instructed countless medical fellows, residents, and students on skin cancer surgery. He has performed several thousand laser surgeries and his expertise is documented in numerous published scientific papers, as well as in his contributions to numerous dermatology textbooks.
“Collectively, we have around 30 staff working at various offices depending on where they are most needed except PA Cynthia Gelnaw, who predominantly practices at the Toms River facility. A graduate of Drexel University and Board-certified as a physician assistant, Cynthia brings 15 years of experience providing high-quality dermatologic care delivered with great compassion,” Cristina Centurion said.
“We have state of the art equipment but you would find that in a lot of dermatology offices but I feel what makes us stand out is not only the skill level of Dr. Centurion and our providers and as a whole we generally like each other and that is part of our strength and with a staff of 30 plus it makes for a very harmonious working environment,” she added.
She noted, “you have to love what you do and I feel we all love what we do and working beside each other. We have each other’s back. We take pride in that the most. We take good care of our patients very well which is why we have long time patients who have followed us.”
“We have patients in Forked River who would travel all the way to Old Bridge. That is how dedicated our patients can be. We also have patients from Bergen County and Staten Island who will come here. I think that is a testament to how special we are,” she added.
The practice’s executive vice president, Grace Figueroa has been with the practice for years. “We have been very successful with all we have done. It took a lot of hard work. Our Goggle reviews speak for themselves. We pride ourselves in being a small private practice.”
“It really is challenging to have a private practice,” she added noting that during the Covid pandemic their offices were closed.
“We had to shut down. We took a hit and it was tough but we came back stronger and better. All of our staff came back to work. Our number one asset is our staff from the person you see first when you check in all the way to the medical assistants in the back to all the surgical technician to all the clinical coordinators, phone receptionists, every single person.”
Figueroa added, “people come here and feel like an individual and not just a number. That is what I care about when I’m a patient. We have patients here that took time out to come here today and that means the world to us.”
Dr. Centurion whose professional links include membership in the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Academy of Dermatopathology and the American Society for Mohs Surgery couldn’t have been happier during the ribbon cutting party. “I’m starting a whole new practice here moving south to service the community. A lot of our friends have been moving to the area so it seemed like a matter of time.”
“It is going to be great for us and the community. We want to be here to serve the community, that is key as I feel it is needed here,” he added. For further information visit https://www.dermatologyassociatesnj.com/ or call 732-679-6300.
