Pittsfield Dentist Named Among '10 Under Ten'

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dr. Neha Das, a pediatric dentist, practicing in Pittsfield, has been recognized by the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) as one of the  "10 Under Ten" for 2022. 
 
Established in 2005 by the MDS, the annual recognition highlights the diversity of new dentists in Massachusetts and their impact on the dental profession. 
 
To qualify, dentists must have graduated from dental school within the past ten years, be an MDS member, and made significant contributions to the profession, their community, and organized dentistry. 
 
"When I was a junior in college, I went back to my parents' hometown in India to do some volunteer work in a medical van; however, when I got there, I found out the physician I was supposed to be shadowing was out on maternity leave. They put me in a dental van instead, and I was fascinated. I loved the combination of science and art, and there was a true sense of grati­fication whenever we could help someone. When I got back home, I knew my plans had changed. I didn't want to be a physician anymore—I was going to become a dentist," Dr. Das said.
 
An At-Large Trustee with the MDS, Dr. Das is inspired by the work of the dentists active in the society and dedicated to the profession.
 
Currently, a resident of Lenox, Dr. Das earned her Doctor of Dental Science (DDS) and did her residency in pediatric dentistry at the University of California in San Francisco. She credits her husband and her colleague dental practice owner Dr. Lisa Gamache with helping her maintain a healthy work-life balance.
 
The dentists are featured in the Spring 2022 issue of the Journal of the Massachusetts Dental Society, and they were honored earlier this year at Yankee Dental Congress 2022. Yankee is New England's largest dental meeting and is presented by the MDS in cooperation with the dental societies of Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

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Toy Library Installed at Onota Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.

Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.

The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local lumber company.

Friends and family members provided toys to fill the library such as pails, shovels, Frisbees, and trucks.

"I wanted to create a toy library like the other examples in Berkshire County from the sled library to the book libraries," she told the commission in February.

"But I wanted to make it toys for Onota Lake because a lot of kids forget their toys or some kids can't afford toys."

Bills lives nearby and will check on the library weekly — if not daily — to ensure the operation is running smoothly.  A sign reading "Borrow-Play-Return" asks community members to clean up after themselves after using the toys.

It was built to accommodate children's heights and will be stored during the winter season.

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