Touro Dental Health, the 115-chair dental teaching practice at the Touro College of Dental Medicine (TCDM), opened its state-of-the-art pediatric dental practice to the public on September 29.
Designed with the needs of TCDM’s youngest patients and their families in mind, the six-chair and 2,600-square-foot Touro Dental Health Kids practice offers modern, light-filled space with four operatories and two spacious, fully private rooms designed to treat children age 16 and under in a quiet, distraction-free environment, TCDM said.
Specialty-trained pediatric dental faculty and students will provide treatment in the new space, TCDM said. The practice is equipped with the same advanced digital dentistry technologies available throughout the clinical training facility, TCDM added, as well as nitrous oxide in each operatory for minimal sedation when needed to aid in comfort and alleviate dental anxiety.
“Having a state-of-the-art facility like this in Westchester and the lower Hudson Valley is going to be a true dental home for families and children to come to receive skillful, compassionate, and affordable dental care,” said Carla Tornatore, DDS, director of pediatric dentistry. “From toddlers to teens, we are committed to creating and caring for smiles that will last a lifetime.”
In addition to a separate child-friendly reception area, Touro Dental Health Kids also features the Oral Health Education Station, where students and faculty will work one on one with families, teaching both children and their parents about important oral health topics including nutrition, proper brushing and flossing, and injury prevention.
With its strong community ties and dedication to service, TCDM said, it has always been committed to providing underserved populations with oral healthcare, and this new pediatric practice will fill a gap in the access to care of deserving pediatric dental patients in Westchester and the Hudson Valley.
“This expansion is the first step to enhancing our oral healthcare services for pediatric patients of the lower Hudson Valley as well as for the special needs population, who is so often marginalized,” said dean Ronnie Myers, DDS.
“We have envisioned having a dedicated treatment center such as this from the very beginning, which will provide us with the capacity and technology necessary to deliver quality family-centered pediatric dental care,” Myers said.
Spearheaded by vice dean Edward Farkas, DDS, MA, the new space was made possible by the generous contributions of several donors and longtime supporters of the school who supported the vision for expansion, TCDM said.
“Donors are the foundation of our institution, and we would be unable to succeed in building revolutionary spaces such as this without their support,” said Farkas. “Wanting to give to the children of the Hudson Valley, they have generously opened up their hearts and minds to help make this venture possible.”
“We are so happy to be in this space. Not only is it beautiful, well equipped, and totally appropriate for treating children of all ages, but no expense has been spared, allowing us to provide everything that our patients could ever need when it comes to their oral care,” said Shiri Greenberg, DMD, clinical director of pediatric dentistry at TCDM.
“Our goal is to provide children with excellent dental care in a fun and exciting way, and thanks to so many people who have supported this project since the beginning, we will be able to achieve that here,” said Greenberg.
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