Renovated Dental Clinic Improves Access and Care

On June 8, Children’s National celebrated the opening of its newly redesigned and expanded Dental Clinic with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony. The renovation of the dental clinic, which will give more families access to comprehensive oral health care, was made possible by a $500,000 grant in 2016 from the Children’s Health Board, which celebrated its 150th anniversary that year.

“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, MD. “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.”

Dr. Newman was joined by Dr. Erik Scheifele, director of the Dental Clinic, and members of the Children’s Health Board in cutting the ribbon on the newly renovated space. After the ceremony, guests were given a guided tour of the clinic by members of its staff. The overhaul of the Dental Clinic included 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. New specialized equipment includes a portable X-ray machine and a soft tissue laser.

Children in the expanded waiting room are now greeted with an interactive display that responds to their movements and will be able to provide updates to patients and their families. The redesigned space also allows for single-line access to treatment rooms, each of which has a digital display that can pull up patient health records and demonstrate procedures for parents and patients. “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 access to this level of care,” Dr. Scheifele said. “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. Children’s Health Board President Rosalia Miller thanked board members for their commitment and hospital leadership for their continued partnership, which has done so much for children in the nation’s capital. She also thanked Dr. Scheifele for his vision and leadership of the Dental Clinic to better serve children with limited access to care, a goal that is at the heart of the Children’s Health Board’s mission. Founded in 1866, the Children’s Health Board works with Children’s National Health System to advance the health and well-being of children in the community, especially those most in need, through advocacy, education, prevention, and early intervention. Over the past 20 years, Children’s Health Board has awarded approximately $5 million in grants to more than 250 programs at Children’s National.

Learn more about the Children’s Health Board and its impact on Children’s National.

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