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CONTACT: Nicole Joy Hales, PRfirst, 617-947-7983, nhales@prfirst.com

 

Whittier Street Health Center Adds 3-D Printer Technology to Oral Health Services

Mouth guards now available at reduced price; dental crowns in one visit

 

BOSTON, MA, ISSUED JULY 20, 2023…Whittier Street Health Center, a community health center with a mission to serve as a center of excellence that provides high quality and accessible health care and social services that achieve health equity, social justice, and the economic well-being of a diverse patient population, is excited to announce the addition of 3-D printer technology to its Oral Health Services department.

 

The recent purchase of the 3-D printer allows the oral health services staff to produce occlusal mouth guards on site at a steeply discounted rate to patients.

 

“Many of our patients suffer from Bruxism (teeth grinding and subsequent fractures),” said Dr. Nurulla Diyanat, Dental Director at Whittier Street Health Center. “To help solve these issues, mouth guards are given to patients, but not all insurances completely cover the costs, so they purchase over-the-counter guards which are not as effective and quite uncomfortable compared to custom-made guards.”

 

With the availability of the onsite 3-D printer, Whittier patients are now able to purchase custom-made mouth guards for $50 as compared to the typical $300 cost when supplied by an offsite laboratory.

 

Whittier now also has the technology to provide dental crowns in one day – a tremendous benefit to patients in time saving. That availability also allows for increased services for other patients due to the reduction in time for staff to complete crown fittings.

 

“The value of having access to 3-D printer technology within our Oral Health Services division is enormous,” said Frederica M. Williams, president and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center, noting that many of Whittier’s patients suffer from Bruxism due to nervous tension, anger, pain, or frustration. “With our ability to produce occlusal guards onsite, we can help prevent Bruxism and teeth fractures for a very modest cost.”

 

The Whittier Oral Health Services department offers oral care and dental services including preventive and restorative care, oral surgery, periodontal surgery, orthodontics, endodontics, and dental implants.

 

For more information, contact 617-989-3240 or 617-989-3181.

 

 

About Whittier Street Health Center

Whittier Street Health Center is an independently licensed community health care center with a mission of providing high quality, reliable and accessible primary healthcare for diverse populations while promoting wellness and eliminating health and social disparities. A champion of equitable access to high quality, patient-focused care, social justice and economic equity, Whittier Street Health Center is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC), certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home, and recognized by the NCQA for its Behavioral Health Integration. Through its locations in Roxbury and North Dorchester, and its Mobile Health Van program, Whittier Street Health Center serves more than 30,000 patients and 20,000 community outreach visits annually; its ethnically and racially diverse patient base is primarily made up of individuals from Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, the South End and greater Boston. Approximately 28% of Whittier’s patients are uninsured. Whittier Street Health Center provides a comprehensive array of 40 healthcare programs and services designed to meet the primary health care, behavioral health, and social needs of the community. For more information, please visit www.wshc.org as well as Facebook (www.facebook.com/WhittierStreetHealthCenter), Twitter (@Whittier_Boston), or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/whittier-street-health-center), or call 617-989-3221.