Children’s National Celebrates Dental Clinic Expansion and Enhancements with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
$500,000 Grant from Children's Health Board Makes Improvements to physical Space and Equipment Updates Possible
June 13, 2017
WASHINGTON — Children’s National Health System celebrated the opening of its newly redesigned and expanded Dental Clinic with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 8. The renovation of the clinic, which will ensure more families have access to comprehensive oral health care, was made possible by a $500,000 grant from the Children’s Health Board, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2016.
“This is a world-class facility that is truly worthy of the world-class dental care we provide to children, and it was all made possible by a funding partnership with the Children’s Health Board,” said Children’s National President and CEO Kurt Newman, M.D. “Because of their investment, every aspect of our dental team’s work will be enhanced, making a huge difference for the 10,000 children who come to Children’s National for dental care every year.”
The overhaul of the Dental Clinic includes doubling the size of the patient waiting room; expanding access areas to accommodate wheelchairs, walkers, and hospital beds; and updating the clinic’s technology, including state-of-the-art imaging and fully digitized health records. Digital displays in each room of the clinic allow the care team to pull up patient health records and demonstrate procedures for parents and patients. New equipment includes a portable X-ray machine and a soft tissue laser.
“With these critical enhancements, we’re able to increase the number of patients we can see, increase the number of procedures we can do, and expand the scope of services we provide – helping us provide access to patients who normally can’t get this level of care,” said Dr. Erik Scheifele, DMD, chief of the Division of Oral Health at Children’s National. “I can’t thank the Children’s Health Board enough for supporting the Dental Clinic and the children we serve.”
The Children’s Health Board grant will also cover education services and will enable the Pediatric Dental Residency Program to accept more candidates.
Contact: Mark Miller | [email protected] | 301-802-6783
About Children's National Health System
Children’s National Health System, based in Washington, D.C., has served the nation’s children since 1870. Children’s National is one of the nation’s Top 5 pediatric hospitals and, for a second straight year, is ranked No. 1 in newborn care, as well as ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. It has been designated two times as a Magnet® hospital, a designation given to hospitals that demonstrate the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. This pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty outpatient centers in the D.C. Metropolitan area, including the Maryland suburbs and Northern Virginia. Home to the Children’s Research Institute and the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children’s National is the seventh-highest NIH-funded pediatric institution in the nation. Children’s National is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional and national levels.
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