In a significant move to enhance access to pediatric dental care in the Richmond area, VCU School of Dentistry opened its new Pediatric Dentistry at Northside Clinic on October 1.
The newly renovated 2500-square-foot clinic, located at 2924 Brook Road in our Brook Road Pavilion, celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 19.
“As a full-service children’s hospital, CHoR is dedicated to treating the whole child and family. It’s an honor to welcome our colleagues from VCU School of Dentistry’s Pediatric Dentistry Clinic to our Northside Campus,” said Elias Neujahr, MHA, MBA, CHoR president. “We know that oral health problems are one of the leading causes of school absenteeism and the important role dental health plays in a child’s overall health. We look forward to the great work of this team and the bright smiles to come.”
“I think that all good things come from collaborative partnerships and the partnership between the School of Dentistry and our strategic partners at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, is a testament to that,” said Jeff Johnson, D.M.D., M.P.H., chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at VCU School of Dentistry. “This clinic is the fruit of those labors, and it's an exciting place to be on a campus that values those kinds of partnerships, because we're putting kids first.”
The clinic’s opening follows the closure of the Brook Road Pavilion Dental Clinic on August 30, which was previously operated by VCU Health. The new Northside location is VCU School of Dentistry’s second pediatric dental clinic location in Richmond. The other is located in the Children’s Pavilion.
“The School of Dentistry and the leadership at the children's hospital saw an opportunity where we could increase and improve our pediatric dental services at Brook Road,” said Johnson.
The Northside community has long faced challenges when it comes to access to pediatric dental care, which can lead to untreated dental issues and long-term health consequences. The opening of this clinic is an effort to bridge that gap and provide high-quality dental care close to home.
“Now as operators of the clinic, our focus remains the same,” Johnson added. “We want to help the people that have always sought care in that clinic and increase the number of people who have access to care in that community, which historically does not have a lot of pediatric dental providers.”
The new clinic features six dental chairs, that also serve as operatories, and is equipped with the latest advancements for optimal dental care. This includes a recent investment that includes more than $150,000 in state-of-the-art dental equipment.
Additionally, the clinic creates a kid-friendly patient experience with added convenience for local families with free onsite parking.
“After months of careful planning this is an exciting milestone for the School of Dentistry,” said Lyndon F. Cooper, D.D.S., Ph.D., dean of School of Dentistry. “The brightly renovated space is an extension of our clinic in the Children's Pavilion and enjoys the excellent attention of our great faculty, residents and staff. This facility not only represents our commitment to advancing dental care for children, but also to fostering the next generation of pediatric dentists who will lead with compassion and expertise and our collaboration with CHoR and our health system.”
In addition to serving local families, the clinic will provide a valuable training opportunity for pediatric dentistry residents at VCU School of Dentistry. As part of their education, residents will gain hands-on experience working with pediatric patients under the supervision of experienced faculty members.
“This is really a golden opportunity for our residents because the Northside Clinic at the Brook Road Pavilion more simulates a private practice where they’re managing multiple patients simultaneously,” said Johnson. “Secondly, our residents are caring, compassionate people, who can provide patients with the standard of care that we're used to providing in our Children’s Pavilion clinic downtown.
Over the next several months, the Pediatric Dentistry at Northside clinic will continue to expand their services by increasing the attentive staff and enhancing clinical management.
“I think what we're going to be able to do for patients and families in that area of town is exciting. And I think it really is core to the mission of the School of Dentistry,” said Johnson. “We want to be good community partners and the best way we can do that is when we do what we know how to do, which is run an excellent pediatric dentistry clinic.”
By Vernon Freeman, Jr.
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