HealthCare Choices, Inc., a nonprofit community health center located at 179 Jamaica Avenue in East New York, invited local elected officials and the community-at-large to celebrate the opening of the center's new dental suite on Thursday.
The state-of-the-art dentistry, which was made possible with funding from the New York State Health Department, brings a much-needed array of dental services, including panoramic x-ray screening, cleaning and other dental hygienic services, to an underserved community.
"While we are paying attention to primary care, we have lost sight of the importance of dental care," said Maria Siebel, chief executive officer of HealthCare Choices Inc. "Yet research points out how important dental care is and how it affects your body. It shows that if bacteria is growing in your body, it affects your immune system, your heart and every part of your body. So this is our opportunity to speak to our patients and to remind them that their teeth are part of their bodies, too."
HealthCare Choices first opened the community health center in 2016 to provide integrated medical and mental health services to adults, teens and young children in East New York, with a special focus on the homeless, elderly, immigrant, low-income and the uninsured. In addition to covering all primary care needs, the center also offers specialized services including pediatrics, gynecology, cardiology, neurology, gastroenterology, nutrition, physical therapy as well as mental health services, among others
Now, with the opening of the dental suite, oral health can be added to the extensive list of available services.
"We want to be your preferred community health center when it comes to quality and affordable health care services for you and your loved ones," said Eva Suarez, the Brooklyn site director of HealthCare Choices. "Since we opened our health care center, we have received numerous requests to offer dental services. We listened, we applied for funding, and today you can witness the culmination of our response to the community's needs."
HealthCare Choices is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30am to 6:0opm; Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30am to 8:00pm, and Sunday from 9:00am to 5:00pm. For more information about HealthCare Choices, Inc. or to make an appointment, visit www.healthcarechoicesny.org or call at (718) 234-0073.
