New
Pediatric Dentistry Clinic
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The
spacious reception area in the
School of Dental Medicine's new
Pediatric Dentistry Clinic features a large
play area on one side creating a comfortable setting for
children while they wait to be seen in one of the ten operatories
such as this one.
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The
School of Dental Medicine opened a new Pediatric Dentistry Clinic
in January providing a state-of-the-art environment for patient
care and clinical instruction.
"We
are excited by the positive step this new facility represents
in the School's commitment to improving access to dental care
for all children, including those with special needs," notes Dean
Raymond Fonseca. "The clinic will not only enable us to better
serve the children of West Philadelphia, but also provide our
graduates with the clinical training they need to more effectively
treat this population as they enter professional practice."
This
4,400-square-foot facility located on the ground floor of the
School's Thomas W. Evans Building at 40th and Spruce Streets,
features ten fully equipped dental operatories, including four
which are specially designed for special needs children and those
cases requiring sedation. All ten operatories are wheelchair accessible
and also have nitrous oxide availability, their own x-ray units,
and computer ports for the future use of digital radiography,
paperless patient records, and voice recognition capability for
dictating records.
"This
clinic is unique among dental school clinics in its design--few
have individual operatories as we do," says Dr. Mark Helpin, associate
professor-clinician educator and chair, department of pediatric
dentistry.
The
clinic's other features include a patient education/conference
room, a sedation/recovery room, an oral hygiene education area,
two computer work stations, a business/reception area, a panoramic
radiology room, a darkroom, a clinical laboratory, a handicapped-accessible
lavatory, and the School's pediatric department faculty and staff
offices.
In
designing the clinic, (by Philadelphia-based firm of Paul Steege
& Associates) creating a welcoming environment for children
was a priority. The Pediatric Dentistry Clinic can be reached
at (215) 898-8979.