MORGANTOWN — After nine months as the lone dentist for Monongalia County Health Department Dentistry, Dr. Youseph Kassar was understandably excited to introduce a new addition to the MCHD family during a recent board of health meeting.
Dr. Jordan Snyder, a 2022 graduate of the WVU School of Dentistry, joined the practice in July.
“I’m really excited to be here. It’s good energy and it’s been nice,” Snyder said. “Dr. Kassar has been helping me through all of the different obstacles. It’s been a good transition and I’m excited.”
Kassar joined the practice in June 2020 as the second dentist and has served as the dentistry program manager since the departure of Dr. Dan Carrier last fall.
Initially established in 1974, the health department’s dental program has undergone steady growth over the last decade or so.
MCHD Executive Director Anthony DeFelice said the grant-funded expansion of the dental facilities continues as two new operatories are under construction and expected to come online sometime in September, bringing the total number to seven.
Further, MCHD Dentistry recently initiated its services at Sundale Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care after the facility invested in its own in-house operatory.
Donna Tennant is a member of the Monongalia County Board of Health and the admissions and marketing director at Sundale.
“Everybody is very excited. We have the dental office right there. The residents have been looking at it and wondering when he was coming,” Tennant said. “So now it’s a chat. I think he had five patients that first day. Now throughout the building it’s, ‘Oh, we have a dentist here now.’ I know they’re excited.”
Continuing the MCHD Dentistry theme, County Health Officer Dr. Lee Smith said organizers of the 2023 National Boy Scouts of America Jamboree have reached out to MCHD about use of Smile Express — a dentist office on wheels launched by MCHD Dentistry in 2018.
After a COVID-induced hiatus, the Jamboree will be return to the Summit Bechtel Reserve next July.
“Prior to COVID, we had been approached to see if we would be willing to donate some dental care, and especially the RV, because they don’t have dental, and there’s more than one kid who’s going to do a faceplant,” Smith said. “We support this, but the devil is going to be in the details in how we work this out. We certainly would like to participate.”
