Wright Center expands dental residency program

SCRANTON – To continue addressing the deep need for dental health services in Northeast Pennsylvania, the Wright Center for Community Health in Scranton received approval to expand its partnership with NYU Langone Health’s Dental Medicine Postdoctoral Dental Residency Program.

The world’s largest postdoctoral dental residency program of its kind, the NYU Langone program trains about 400 residents annually at partner sites in nearly 30 states. The Wright Center, the postdoctoral Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency program’s only Pennsylvania site, has hosted two dental residents each academic year since becoming a program partner in 2021.

The Wright Center for Community Health’s expansion of the NYU Langone program to three AEGD residents, starting in July 2025. Dr. Caitlin McCarthy, site director for the Wright Center’s AEGD residency program, said the expansion will benefit the NYU Langone residents and Northeast Pennsylvania, where the demand for affordable, high-quality, nondiscriminatory dental services continues to grow.

“Our dental residents are receiving valuable hands-on training as primary oral health care providers,” Dr. McCarthy said. “The need is here, and if we have more providers, we can serve even more patients.”

The Wright Center opened a full-service dental clinic in August at its primary health care center in Wilkes-Barre, under the direction of Dr. Michael Regan, who completed NYU Langone Health’s postdoctoral residency at The Wright Center in June.

“There is a great need for dentists in the region,” Dr. Reagan said. “A lot of people have had a bad experience with their dental provider or they can’t afford dental care. That’s not the case here. The Wright Center provides affordable, high-quality oral care.”

The Wright Center features dental clinics at its primary health care centers in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and Jermyn. By early October, staff at the Wilkes-Barre dental clinic had treated more than 780 patients. In fiscal year 2024, more than 3,400 unique patients were treated at Scranton’s dental clinic, and nearly 3,400 unique patients visited the Jermyn clinic. All three dental clinics offer exams, cleanings, X-rays, and fillings, as well as emergency services, oral cancer screenings and denture care.

Dr. McCarthy hopes that more NYU Langone Health residents who complete their residency at the Wright Center will decide to stay and work in Northeast Pennsylvania.

“Workforce development is one of the ultimate goals here at the Wright Center,” she said. “We were thrilled that Dr. Regan decided to stay, and we would like to see other residents follow that path.”