Summary
Sadler Health Center believes that every child and every adult deserves a dazzling smile. Unfortunately, too many children in our community don't receive routine dental care and aren't learning and practicing the basics of good oral hygiene.
Sadler Health Center believes that every child and every adult deserves a dazzling smile. Unfortunately, too many children in our community don’t receive routine dental care and aren’t learning and practicing the basics of good oral hygiene.
Tooth decay is the most common childhood disease, affecting 3 out of 5 children. It is five times more common than asthma. But with a little help from a toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss, as well as regular visits to a dentist, tooth decay is almost entirely preventable.
Sadler Health Center offers dental services for patients of all ages at its main center in Carlisle and a satellite location in Perry County. Soon, Sadler will also provide dental services in the community using a mobile unit.
Services include routine cleanings, comprehensive exams, X-rays, fillings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and simple extractions and root canals.
“Sadler’s mission to care for patients in underserved communities is one that each of our providers embraces wholeheartedly,” says Sadler Health Center CEO Manal El Harrak. “Sadler Health serves everyone, including patients who are uninsured, underinsured or have government-sponsored health insurance like Medicaid or CHIP.”
Sadler’s Dental Director Dr. Sunczerae Kushkituah says the level and options of care that can be provided in dentistry are endless.
“There is always some form of service we can provide to treat, satisfy or resolve a dental condition,” Dr. Kushkituah says. “Dentistry is always evolving and treatment options are continually expanding. I am truly passionate about both dental care and education.”
Mission and Passion for Care
Prior to working at Sadler and other Federally Qualified Health Centers, Dr. Kushkituah worked in private practice, providing dental services that are considered more elective and cosmetic. But she felt she was not fulfilling the full extent of her purpose as a healthcare provider.
“I knew there was a large underserved community of people in need of dental education and access to quality care,” Dr. Kushkituah says. “Working with an organization that shares my mission and passion allows me to expand the level of care in the community. I have the opportunity to do just that on the clinical level as a provider and furthermore as dental director.”
Kimberly Bury, Sadler Health’s Dental Manager and a Dental Hygienist, also is passionate about Sadler’s mission to provide dental care and educate patients.
“As an organization, Sadler recognizes the importance of educating children, parents and guardians, and the importance of increasing access to care and expanding services,” Bury says. “It is critical that patients understand the importance of regular dental care and follow through to obtain preventive exams and necessary treatment. It’s important for me to be an advocate for our patients, to educate them on preventive care and treatment options so they can live healthier lives.”
Bury shares this example of how, at Sadler, it’s all about helping patients obtain quality, comprehensive care: “A mother brought her seven-year old son to Sadler for a checkup. During the routine exam, I asked if the child had been brushing regularly. Mom explained that they had recently been displaced from their home to a motel room and hadn’t yet acquired personal care items. I was able to provide them both with the dental care items they needed as well as connect them with a community health worker to assist with other social determinants of health – food insecurity, housing and clothing.”
To register as a new patient, call Sadler at 717-960-4395 or toll-free at 866-723-5377. Or visit our Patient Portal and click the “Pre-Register” button to start the registration process online.
An Evening to Smile
Sadler Health has been making children smile for 100 years. In 2022 alone, Sadler provided dental services for almost 2,000 children in Cumberland and Perry counties.
To help raise awareness and financial support for Sadler Health’s children’s dental care program, a special event titled An Evening to Smile is being held on Sunday, April 23, 2023 at 4:30 pm at The Willows at Ashcombe Masion in Mechanicsburg.
The event will feature food and drinks, live music, and silent and live auctions.
Tickets and sponsorships are still available. To purchase a ticket or to make a donation, please visit sadlerhealth.org/smile. For sponsorship information, contact Laurel Spagnolo, Director of Development at (717) 960-4333 or lspagnolo@sadlerhealth.org.
