CHP Names Associate Director of Dental Medicine

08:23AM / Saturday, November 02, 2024Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Dr. Lina Bermudez has been named associate director of dental medicine at CHP Berkshires.

She joined CHP Great Barrington Family Dental in 2013, and in her new role will work with CHP leadership to support CHP's dental practices and staff in North Adams, Adams, Pittsfield and Great Barrington.

Her appointment follows completion of a countywide expansion of CHP's dental services, intended to expand oral healthcare access to thousands of Berkshire residents, especially those who rely on MassHealth for their insurance coverage. The Great Barrington Family Dental Center has recently reopened after a two-year development project.

"Dr. Bermudez has been a role model in both caring for dental patients at CHP, and in her commitment to expanding access to dental care throughout the Berkshires," said Dr. Andrew Beckwith, chief medical officer at CHP Berkshires. "We look forward to Dr. Bermudez's new role in bringing broader leadership of our CHP dental team."

A native of Colombia, Bermudez is a general dentistry graduate of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Prior to her work at CHP, she worked as a dentist for Hillcrest Educational Centers.

In addition to her new leadership responsibilities, Dr. Bermudez will continue to see patients at Great Barrington Family Dental.

"I am very excited to join and contribute to this team dedicated to the CHP mission, and I look forward to bringing my experience to achieve meaningful impact," said Bermudez. "It is always my honor to be on a team that's making a difference to the health of our Berkshire community."

Community Health Programs, Inc. (CHP Berkshires) is a healthcare network based in the Berkshires of Western Mass. serving approximately 30,000 regional residents with whole-person, comprehensive medical and dental services at multiple practice locations. CHP Family Services supports families with parent education, WIC and other services. CHP accepts most forms of private and public health insurance, including MassHealth, and offers sliding fee scales for qualifying patients. CHP is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Chpberkshires.org

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Monument Mountain Sophomore Wins Congressional App Challenge

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
12:12PM / Saturday, January 17, 2026

Congressman Neal takes questions from students during his visit.

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Monument Mountain Regional High School sophomore Jonah Sanabria is the winner of this year's Congressional App Challenge for the 1st Massachusetts District.

His Health Advocate application acts as just that in your pocket, Sanabria said, helping resolve one of the biggest problems in health care — miscommunication.

"Every day, patients of all ages go to the doctor feeling stressed, confused, scared and uncertain, meaning they often forget what they wanted to say, and they leave without fully understanding what was said or the plan ahead," he said.

"It's not because doctors don't care; it's because the system is set up in a way that makes relaxed communications really hard. Appointments are abbreviated. Patients aren't always sure what they can ask physicians, and nerves often make them forgetful."

The challenge was authorized by Congress in 2015 to promote interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Each representative may host an official computer science competition in their districts. More than 85,000 high school students in all 50 states have since participated, with more than 18,000 in 2025.

Jonah beat out nine other submissions in the 1st Mass. His app will be featured on the challenge page and displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. In addition, he will have the opportunity to visit Capitol Hill in the spring at a celebration called #HouseOfCode, where winning teams from across the country hear from lawmakers, interact with sponsors and partners at the STEM Expo, and demonstrate their apps.

Before a scheduled doctor's appointment, the program asks the user about their symptoms, health issues, and health goals and organizes and prioritizes questions to ask during the doctor visit.

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