NYU Dentistry is launching its pilot program, Dental Van Senior Citizen Initiative, on July 6, 2016, from 9:00am-3:00pm at the Shorefront YM-YWHA located at 3300 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn, to provide quality dental care to New York’s underserved elderly residents. The NYU Dental Van will be on hand to provide screenings to the local community. In addition, complimentary oral screenings for seniors will be available from 9:30am-11:30am inside the facility.

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NYU Dentistry's mobile Dental Van Program--Smiling Faces Going Places Photo Credit: Leo Sorel

Media Program Kicks-off @10AM, July 6, 2016, at Coney Island Shorefront YM-YWHA;Cosponsor Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz, Chair of the Aging Committee, to Attend

Understanding the importance of making access to oral health care convenient for everyone, particularly our older New Yorkers, NYU Dentistry is launching its pilot program, Dental Van Senior Citizen Initiative, on July 6, 2016, from 9:00am-3:00pm at the Shorefront YM-YWHA located at 3300 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn, to provide quality dental care to New York’s underserved elderly residents. The NYU Dental Van will be on hand to provide screenings to the local community. In addition, complimentary oral screenings for seniors will be available from 9:30am-11:30am inside the facility. All screenings will be provided by an NYU Dentistry team.

FOR MEDIA: Press Conference 10:00am-11:00am with Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz at the Shorefront YM-YWHA located at 3300 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn.

Since 2000, New York University College of Dentistry's (NYU Dentistry) mobile Dental Van Program--Smiling Faces Going Places--has been an important oral health resource for New York City schoolkids, providing quality dental care and education to an average of 2,000 children annually at schools all over the city in partnership with the New York City Council.

Now, under the leadership of Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Cariology and Comprehensive Care, the NYU Dentistry Dental Van Program is expanding its care mission to include older adults in NYC.

“There are many reasons why our aging population has difficulty receiving the dental care they need,” notes Dr Wolff. “Many of these reasons include a shortage of dental providers trained and willing to care for an increasingly medically compromised aging America, including those suffering from debilitating and life-threatening illnesses. Many of the difficulties associated with receiving care include problems for aging patients in physically reaching the dentist because of transportation problems or being homebound.”

"More seniors than ever are living in poverty in New York City, with the result that health-related necessities like dental care -- including regular cleanings and other preventive care -- are well beyond their financial reach," said Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz, cosponsor of the event and Chair of the Assembly's Aging Committee. "I commend the NYU Dental Van initiative for targeting this vulnerable population and offering a service that will have such a positive impact on our seniors' lives."

“The Shorefront YM-YWHA is so pleased to be partnering with the NYU College of Dentistry and their Dental Van Senior Citizen Initiative and our Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz to make accessible a full range of quality dental assessment, services, and education right in our Brighton Beach-Manhattan Beach community,” said Sue Fox, executive director of the Shorefront YM-YWHA. “This program will improve the oral health as well as the physical and mental well-being of many local residents. We are confident that this added no cost community resource will be very well received and appreciated.”

An additional day of screening for seniors in the local community by the NYU Dental Van has been added on July 7, 2016, from 9:00am-3:00pm at the Shorefront YM-YWHA located at 3300 Coney Island Avenue, BrooklynContact the Shorefront YM-YWHA (718) 934-3500, for more information.

More on the NYU Dentistry Dental Van Senior Citizen Initiative:

NYU Dentistry recognizes that for many indigent seniors in NYC who are on Medicaid, access to oral health care may be difficult or in some instances impossible.

Once a week, the NYU dental van will visit a senior housing development, senior citizen center, or an elected official’s office to provide dental services to those in need. Services provided can include emergency and comprehensive examinations with necessary X-rays, oral cancer exams, oral health education, oral hygiene instruction and nutritional counseling, cleanings, dental restorations, removable and complete dentures, simple tooth extractions and simple denture repairs.

“Aging patients frequently have a fatalistic attitude toward tooth loss, expecting that the loss of a tooth is normal with aging,” said Dr. Wolff. “Bringing the NYU Dentistry van to the community centers addresses the mobility issues for the seniors and the student training need to expand the future workforce. It’s a perfect marriage!”

The mobile dental van program will continue to addresses the crisis many-low income children face in accessing quality dental care. The van provides oral health instruction in addition to direct care, such as fluoride treatments and restorations. Low-income children have 60 percent more untreated cavities than their peers at higher socioeconomic levels, making the need to bring dental care into these communities through the van program especially vital.


About NYU College of Dentistry
Founded in 1865, New York University College of Dentistry is the third oldest and the largest dental school in the US, educating more than 8 percent of all dentists. NYU College of Dentistry has a significant global reach with a highly diverse student body. Visit http://dental.nyu.edu for more.

Press Contact

Christopher James
Christopher James
(212) 998-6876