Hillcrest Dental Care to Open in North Adams on Oct. 8
 Hillcrest Dental Care's new North Adams office will feature four exam rooms. The center opens Oct. 8. |
"Our first day is a pretty full day," said Susan Durocher, operations manager at the North Adams location.
Durocher said people have been stepping through the open door of Suite 102 in the Ambulatory Care Building frequently and asking how soon they can get in.
"So far there's been a really good reception from the community," she said.
Hillcrest Dental Care will operate independently from Northern Berkshire Healthcare after signing a lease in April. Over the summer, Moresi and Associates were contracted to fix transform the space into a dentist center.
Hillcrest Dental will accept almost all insurances, including MassHealth. Durocher said about 80 percent of the Pittsfield location's patients used state-sponsored insurance and expects similar figures here.
"We believe all patients deserve high-quality care," Durocher said.
The location comes equipped with a laboratory with the ability to work on dentures, partials, bridges and crowns.
Other services provided are cleanings, fillings and simple extractions with novacaine. The center will serve anyone over 1 year old.
Orthodontics, procedures needing nitrous oxide, difficult extractions and oral surgery will not be provided.
The staff will consist of two part-time dentists, two part-time oral hygienists, a full-time hygienist, two office staff members and two full-time dental assistants.
Drs. Stuart Armet and Marie Walsh will split their time working at the Pittsfield location and this one.
The office is certified by the Department of Public Health and meets requirements for handicapped-accessible offices and adequate parking, and has set policies for storage, inventory and steralization.
In addition to fixing teeth, staff will visit schools during Oral Hygiene Month in February to teach prevention.
Patients can view X-rays courtesy of the brand new imaging system to learn more about how to care for their mouths.
"I think the more you can educate patients, the better equipped they are," Durocher said.
The center will be open on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7:50 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Eventually, Durocher hopes as the patient volume grows the center can be open five days a week.
Durocher said currently 800 patients travel from North County to Pittsfield for services. From 2007 to 2011, the Pittsfield center saw an increase of 116 percent of North County patients.
To schedule an appointment, call 413-346-4242 or visit the Hillcrest Dental Care website.
Tags: dentist, health care, opening, oral health,
