Pediatric Dental Center

A Growing Dental Program

The Pediatric Dental Center has grown nearly 60 percent in patient visits over the past five years and there is still a waiting list of approximately nine months. Only three dental chairs were available when it first opened, and now there are six. The fact is, without the St. Joseph Pediatric Dental Center, many children and young adults would simply not have access to dental care.

Teachers and school administrators can also relate to the value of the dental services provided by St. Joseph. Socorro Gomez-Potter, principal at Alfred Lima School in Providence shares her thoughts: “When I was seven years old, I once told my teacher I couldn't learn because of my toothache. The teacher gave me aspirin and told me to crush it up and put it in my cavity to temporarily relieve the pain. Because of the Pediatric Dental Center and Providence Smiles, I'm lucky to be able to offer my students much more than an aspirin.”

“Since the Pediatric Dental Center was created, I see a lot more kids with braces, crowns and sealants to protect their teeth - so it's reassuring to know they're getting the dental care they never had before,” Kathleen Cushing, R.N., B.S.N., MEd., School Nurse at Charles N. Fortes Magnet Academy.