For those who struggle who with physical or developmental issues, dental care is a luxury. As a result, many individuals with these illness, injuries or disorders suffer with dental disease because they’ve had to postpone dental care or forego it entirely.

The Stephen B. Gold Dental Clinic at St. Charles Hospital offers expert and skilled dental care through the generous spirit of a devoted, talented and compassionate group of dentists. This group, encompassing more than 50 dentists from the Port Jefferson and Three Village communities, volunteers their time and talent to provide dental care for patients in need. Once a month each dentist dedicates a half day to St. Charles Hospital’s Dental Clinic in order to increase access to dental education, prevention and treatment to improve the oral health of all individuals in our community.

From the very beginning, now more than 100 years ago, children living at St. Charles as well as clients living at Maryhaven, were provided with dental care. However it wasn’t until 1970 that a dedicated Clinic for the practice of dentistry was opened. Today, more than 6,000 patients are accommodated each year.

The Clinic operates like any private office, scheduling appointments and providing treatment ranging from exams, cleanings and fillings to dentures, restorative and urgent care. Located on the first floor of the main hospital building, the clinic hosts seven operatories and serves a general population from the local community, including people with developmental and physical disabilities who account for more than 50% of total patient volume. Each member of the care team, including dentists, hygienists and dental assistants, educate patients and caregivers on proper dental hygiene and self care so that people of all ages can have healthy mouths and happy smiles.

In addition to providing care to an underserved as well as a general population, the department supports a Dental General Practice Residency Program with the goal of fostering ongoing clinical excellence in dentistry. Each year, three residents are chosen from a group of applicants representing dental schools located throughout the northeast, to participate in this educational program that is designed to provide clinical, didactic and hospital experience at the post-doctoral level. The program prepares residents to diagnose and to provide dental care in the context of each patient’s total health care needs.

St. Charles Hospital’s Dental Clinic is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).

For more information on the Stephen B. Gold Dental Clinic at St. Charles Hospital, please call (631) 474-6332.