On March 19, the UF College of Dentistry held a dedication and ribbon cutting for an extensively renovated pediatric dental clinic, the Robert E. Primosch Clinical Education Center, that expects to serve 19,000 patient visits annually; 90 percent of those for children on Medicaid.
The clinic renovations were paid for solely with private donations of $750,000, most of that from graduates of the college’s pediatric dental residency program, which highlights the high regard that graduates have for the program.
“The fact that so many dentists help fund this renovations highlights the fact that dentists care strongly about access to dental care for the community’s poorest children and are taking steps to help where they can,” said Teresa A. Dolan, dean of the college.
The center is named the Robert E. Primosch Clinical Education Center, in honor of the long-time pediatric dental professor and current Associate Dean of the College. The former residency program director and department chair, Primosch, has spent the past 25 years involved with the training of the 75 pediatric dental specialists who have graduated from the program since 1984.
The 4,500 sq. ft. facility includes 11 private operatories, a four-chair open bay, two radiology rooms, a simulation station with two pediatric dental simulators, and two sedation suites and a recovery room for patients who need extensive dental work done or who have high anxiety or other issues with dental treatment.
For more information about the center, visit dental.ufl.edu or call 352-273-7643.