Northwell Health has acquired two dental practices in Nassau County, one in Garden City and another in Great Neck.
In Great Neck, the practice formerly Distinctive Dental Services of New York, PC, is overseen by Dr. Ralph Epstein, a dentist anesthesiologist with affiliations at Northwell and Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine. The multidisciplinary facility includes nine procedure rooms, a general anesthesia suite, and provides services in general dentistry, orthodontics, and pediatric dentistry.
“My excitement for working at Northwell goes back to 1981 when I completed my dental anesthesia training at Long Island Jewish Medical Center,” said Dr. Epstein. “I consider this a ‘returning home’ moment.”
The practice has been known since 1982 for treating patients who are medically compromised and patients with special needs. Northwell plans to continue providing dental care to these populations.
The Garden City practice, formerly under the name Leonard Patella, DDS, is directed by Dr. Leonard Patella, a cosmetic dentist holding the position of chief of general dentistry at Northwell. The multispecialty office is equipped with three procedure rooms, provides oral surgery services and is staffed by three practitioners, including Dr. Patella, a general dentist, and an oral surgeon.
“For more than 30 years, I have been dedicated to serving the Garden City and surrounding areas as a dentist collaborating closely with Northwell,” said Dr. Patella. “My commitment to providing quality dental care has been steadfast and I am proud to have recently integrated my practice into Northwell Health Physician Partners, further enhancing our ability to deliver comprehensive health care services to our community.”
The new locations expand Northwell’s outpatient dental services to seven practices in the region, including six across Long Island. The locations are now open and have been rebranded as Northwell Health Physician Partners Dental Medicine at Great Neck, located at 173 East Shore Road, Suite 201, in Great Neck, along with Northwell Health Physician Partners Dental Medicine at Garden City, located at 300 Garden City Plaza, Suite 212, in Garden City.
David Hirsch, MD, DDS, senior vice president of dental medicine at Northwell, said that the acquisitions are a part of Northwell’s strategic mission to expand care in Nassau County.
“Good oral health is directly related to the prevention and control of a wide range of diseases, from diabetes to heart disease,” said Dr. Hirsch. “Northwell’s goal of taking care of patients holistically allows us to look at the whole patient and that includes dental services.”