New Mobile Dental Care Center to Improve Smiles — and Lives — on Long Island

From left: Allan J. Kucine, associate professor and vice chair, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine's representative Robert Martinez; Dennis Johnson, Mother Cabrini Foundation; Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith; School of Dental Medicine Dean Patrick Lloyd; Executive Vice President, Stony Brook Medicine William Wertheim; Rhona Strizak Sherwin, clinical professor and director of Pediatric Dentistry Outreach, Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry; and Christine Marsh, coordinator of community outreach. Photos by John Griffin.

Ushering in a new chapter in pediatric dentistry outreach, the Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine (SDM) held a special ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 7 for its new Mobile Dental Care Center (MDCC).

Its creation resulted from a $750,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to continue the school's commitment to delivering comprehensive dental care and oral health education to underserved youth throughout Long Island.

Patrick Lloyd, DDS, dean of the SDM, welcomed senior university leadership and administrators, staff, students and faculty from the SDM, as well as legislators in the region, to officially launch the new 45-foot vehicle, through which faculty, residents and students at the school can provide crowns and extractions, as well as preventive care such as cleanings, fluoride treatment and sealants.

"While those passing by our mobile dental care center on the highway may think of it as a 'dental office on wheels' that makes it more convenient for people to get their teeth taken care of, it is in reality so much more," Dean said in his welcome address. "For many, it's their first dental experience, one that will likely shape how they react to seeing the dentist for the rest of their lives, and how they will take care of their teeth throughout their youth, adulthood and beyond."

Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith expressed her excitement about how the Mobile Dental Care Center would contribute to the overall mission of Stony Brook University and provide much-needed care to those in need of it most.

"This mobile unit represents Stony Brook at its very best - combining excellence in education, cutting-edge clinical care and a deep commitment to serving those who need it most," Goldsmith said. "Its impact will be measured not just in procedures performed, but in pain alleviated, confidence restored and health outcomes improved."

William Wertheim, MD, executive vice president of Stony Brook Medicine, lauded the outreach team's efforts in the 2024-25 academic year, a campaign that included more than 130 events at elementary schools, libraries, family shelters, Head Start and WIC programs and community health fairs. In total, outreach services treated more than 2,600 pediatric patients across Long Island as well as provided oral health education to over 13,000 children and adults.

"With this new mobile clinic, we'll be able to reach even more children and families in the coming years," Wertheim said. "This mobile dental care center is an investment in the future well-being of our entire region."

The new MDCC features four extensions that provide a more comfortable, spacious area for practitioners and patients as compared to the previous mobile clinic. A panoramic x-ray machine, which enables providers to evaluate the dental growth and development of each child, is a new addition to the clinic's patient assessment technology. Additionally, through the on-board Starlink internet service, practitioners can chart a patient's record of care immediately, with a direct connection to the School's Dental Care Center and Stony Brook University Hospital.

Rhona Sherwin, DDS '78, clinical professor in the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry and the SDM's director of pediatric dentistry outreach, expressed her gratitude for Mother Cabrini, which has provided grants that to improve the health and wellbeing of vulnerable New Yorkers since its establishment in 2018.

"Care that may have seemed out of reach for many is now within reach - children and families in our community are finally able to receive the care they need and deserve," she said. "None of this could have been accomplished without your kindness, vision and belief in our mission. This facility is not only improving smiles, it is improving lives."

The school's mobile dental clinic was launched in 2012, and it has since treated more than 4,000 patients, as well as provided valuable oral health education to thousands more children and adults. It is part of the school's mission to improve pediatric dental health equity on Long Island and in Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (DHPSA) in Upstate New York.