PROACTIVE INFECTION PREVENTION
Following the latest guidelines from the CDC for dental care, our entire facility is now equipped with a building-wide HEPA filtration system, and negative pressure HVAC systems in all pediatric operatories and other treatment spaces.

INCREASED ACCESSIBILITY
Arriving for an appointment has become much easier—and safer. The Clinic’s main entrance has moved from Lime Street to the rear side of the building. The change puts the entrance right next to the parking lot—a more convenient location for everyone, especially parents with children in wheelchairs or strollers.

ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE ADDITION
New plantings behind the building will beautify the entrance and reduce storm water runoff.

GOING UP
Stairs or a new elevator will take arriving families to the main floor.

ADJACENT IMPROVEMENTS
Handicapped parking spaces are moved next to the new entrance. The parking lot is being repaved for smoother walking and wheelchair travel. A bright new mural now identifies the Clinic and enhances the neighborhood.

HELPING MORE KIDS
The renovations enable us to help children with special needs beyond craniofacial conditions. Other non-profit health care organizations refer their most complicated pediatric dental cases to the Clinic. These children usually have medical or behavioral conditions that require specialized care. Many have severe dental decay, the most common chronic childhood disease. It causes pain, infection, premature tooth loss, and problems with growth and development. If his or her mouth always hurts, a child can’t learn and grow properly. The Clinic is one of only a few dental practices in Lancaster County that participates in Medical Assistance programs.

Families are discovering the main floor has “flipped,” moving the main entrance and waiting room to what is now the rear of the building. Patient care and support services have expanded to occupy almost the entire main floor. These renovated spaces benefit the families who spend hours at the Clinic on Team Day, seeing all their child’s specialists and therapists in one convenient visit.

AMENITIES FOR FAMILIES

• Play area for small children
• Lounge for parents and children 
• Private conference room to discuss treatments or finances
• Dedicated feeding room for moms
• Parent seating close to treatment spaces

THE LATEST IN PATIENT COMFORT
A cartoon or movie now playing on the ceiling-mounted television can help distract young patients during a procedure. The nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) line is plumbed up through the floor to hide equipment that might seem scary. We have three additional pediatric dental rooms that have now increased our capacity by 150%.

SOUNDPROOFING
For children with certain special needs, even trying to take a simple X-ray can elicit frightened cries. The treatment rooms now have sound-reducing doors and walls to lessen the impact on other children and their families. The rooms have been intentionally placed as far from the waiting room as possible.

PROACTIVE INFECTION PREVENTION
Following the latest guidelines from the CDC for dental care, all our orthodontic treatment rooms have been made private.

LET THE SUNSHINE IN
In the building’s southwest corner, we have introduced four new, private orthodontic suites which have access to natural light. Exposure to natural light has been proven to benefit patients in health care settings.

A PLACE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS PATIENTS
The renovation creates a separate, enclosed room for orthodontic exams and procedures. The quiet space is more soothing and less distracting for children on the autism spectrum or those with behavioral issues.

IMPROVING OUTCOMES
The Clinic has long been a leader in cleft research, thanks in large part to Director Emeritus Dr. Rusty Long, the grandson of Clinic founder Dr. H. K. Cooper. Now located in a new research suite, Clinic staff continue to participate in studies that determine the most effective treatments for various craniofacial anomalies.

The team approach—bringing all the specialists and therapists together in one place to decide the best treatment plan for each patient—has long been the Clinic’s hallmark. The modernization project includes elements that foster the team culture to the ultimate benefit of patients.

NEW TEAM SPACES
Weekly team meetings have moved to a larger, more functional, dedicated room on the lower level. On the main level, a small conference room with five workstations provides a space for specialists to work or meet with colleagues in between patient appointments.

“VOLUNTEER” APPRECIATION
Several team members’ services are donated by other health care organizations, enabling these specialists to spend one to four days a month treating patients at the Clinic. Improved work spaces for them signal our gratitude for their commitment to our mission and our patients.

CATCHING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY
The modernization includes new diagnostic and treatment tools for hearing, speech, and feeding as well as upgrades to electronic medical records systems. Computers and servers have been upgraded or replaced throughout the organization, improving staff efficiency and productivity.