Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center

Dentistry: Promoting the Importance of Oral Health

Dr. Paul E. Gates, Chairman, Dentistry, examining patient, Starlaszia Watson.
For more than five decades, the Department of Dentistry has been a leader in promoting the importance of oral health to the well-being of the community. “Very early, we recognized the relationship between oral disease and its impact on overall health,” stated Dr. Paul E. Gates, Chairman, Department of Dentistry. The correlation between cardiovascular disease and periodontal disease, between premature birth and poor oral health, and the overwhelming impact of early childhood caries are just three of the areas in which oral disease affects the systematic health of oral conditions impacting overall health.
The department has experienced an extraordinary growth during the past 16 years. In 2006, its dentists and staff provided more than 53,000 visits (in seven primary sites) in responding to the major dental needs of the South Central Bronx. All dental services, including dental hygiene, oral surgery, implants, endodontic treatment, periodontic, pediatric dentistry, restorative dental care, orthodontics, tooth whitening, and dental emergency care are provided. An important component of the departmental offerings is the outreach program for the youth of the Bronx. Designed to decrease the impact of early childhood caries, the program includes screenings at more than 50 primary schools, multiple day care centers, and community organizations. Annually, dental screening and educational programs are offered to more than 3,000 children. Even with its awareness campaign and prevention efforts, the department still renders emergency dental care to an average of 18 patients per day. Those patients receive immediate dental care and frequently are referred for corresponding medical care. The collaborative success of the Department of Dentistry has allowed the Dental Residency programs to flourish. Its two residency programs are General Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry. The General Dentistry program is currently the largest in the nation. It was recognized for its unprecedented success in the recruitment and training of under represented ethnic minorities. “Integrating with other medical services to become increasingly more knowledgeable, we will continue to contribute to the overall health of the children and every citizen of the Bronx,” stated Dr. Gates.
	Dr. Leslie Smithey, Director, Clinics/Co-Director, General Practice Residency program, performing dental procedure on patient, Charlene Watson.

	Dr. James Ganey, Co-Director, General Practice Residency Program (front) and Dr. Vincent Smith, Attending, viewing X-ray.

	Dr. Marc D. Brown, Co-Director, General Practice Residency Program/Site Director, Residency Training, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Dr. Monica Sanchez-Diu, Resident, reviewing X-ray.