In recent years , the NYU Lutheran Dental School Health Program has added school-based dental health clinics , like the one pictured , in public schools in the Coney Island and Bushwick / Williamsburg sections of Brooklyn and Harlem section of Manhattan .
Since 2009 school children in ethnically diverse and medically underserved neighborhoods in New York City have had easy access to quality oral health care services through the NYU Lutheran Dental School Health Program . The program currently serves 38 public schools in Brooklyn , Manhattan , Bronx and Staten Island , providing dental services in 18 School Based Dental Clinics , as well as 12 School Based Health Centers operated by the NYU Lutheran Family Health Centers ( LFHC ) School Health Program , which has provided medical and mental health services to children since 1982 .
“ Oral health care delivery within a school setting is an ideal way to help ensure all students have access to care during the school year ,” explained Lynn Gargano , DDS , who has served as Director Dental School Health since 2012 . “ The NYU Lutheran Dental School Health Program is a vital resource for New York City school-age children and serves about 5,000 children each year . We are the only dental home for many of these children . If a child doesn ’ t have insurance , we don ’ t turn them away ; we provide the needed care . We also work with parents who are interested in obtaining coverage if they are uninsured or underinsured ,” Dr . Gargano said .
The Program ’ s staff of pediatric dentists , general dentists , dental assistants and registered dental hygienists complete over 26,000 child dental visits annually , rotating between schools based upon need . “ Every school day our staff is inside eight or nine New York City schools providing health education , preventative services , and restorative services to student patients . We also employ outreach workers who conduct workshops and provide educational materials at community events . It ’ s really a wonderful program ,” said Dr . Gargano , who received her degree in dental medicine from the New York University College of Dentistry in 1990 and completed both GPR and Pediatric Dentistry residencies with NYU Lutheran Dental Medicine .
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Issue 7 , Journal 1 ; November 2016
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