Madelyn Graves, 16, center, presents a painting to Dr. Frank Pagano, the dentist at The Wright Center for Community Health, Tunkhannock, left, and Lindsay Shalata, executive director of the Wyoming County Healthcare Center. Graves said she wants to pursue a career as a dentist or orthodontist.
Submitted Photo
The Wright Center for Community Health Tunkhannock hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, July 24, at the Wyoming County Healthcare Center for its new dental service line. The Wright Center begins seeing patients of all ages on Monday, Aug. 3. To make an appointment, call 570-591-5299. Participating in The Wright Center for Community Health’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, from left, are Dr. Jignesh Y. Sheth, senior vice president and enterprise chief operations and strategy officer at The Wright Center; Wyoming County District Attorney Joe Peters, Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO, The Wright Center; Debbie Johnson, secretary/project development, Wyoming County Healthcare Center; Lindsay Shalata, executive director, Wyoming County Healthcare Center; William Ruark, president, Wyoming County Healthcare Center; Dr. Frank Pagano, The Wright Center for Community Health Tunkhannock; Wyoming County Commissioner Ernie King; state Rep. Tina Pickett; John W. Cosgrove, CEO, AllOne Charities; and Lisa Savero, senior program officer, Moses Taylor Foundation.
Submitted Photo
TUNKHANNOCK — The Wright Center for Community Health celebrated the launch of a new dental service line at its community health center in Tunkhannock on July 24, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Wyoming County Healthcare Center.
The event, which was open to the public, featured remarks from leaders at The Wright Center and Wyoming County Healthcare Center, tours of the four new dental operatories, and a meet-and-greet with the Tunkhannock dental team, led by veteran dentist, Dr. Frank Pagano.
“We are taking another meaningful step forward as we celebrate the upcoming opening of our new, state-of-the-art dental services center inside our Federally Qualified Health Center Look Alike Center on the fourth floor of the Wyoming County Healthcare Center,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Center. “Oral healthcare is an essential part of whole-person health and our whole-person care model.
“A healthy smile is more than healthy teeth. It is about dignity and confidence – for the child who can concentrate in school instead of living with oral pain, the parent who no longer has to choose between paying a bill and seeing a dentist, and the older adult who can eat nutritious food, speak comfortably, and enjoy life’s simple pleasures.”
Starting Monday, Aug. 3, The Wright Center for Community Health Tunkhannock will begin offering affordable, high-quality oral care services, including routine exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, fillings, extractions, restorations, dentures, and other procedures for adults and children. Appointments can be made by calling 570-591-5299.
The Wright Center opened its community health center in Tunkhannock in Sep. 2024, inside the former Tyler Memorial Hospital, as part of its efforts to expand safety-net primary and preventive care services for underserved populations and communities.
“We are grateful to partner with The Wright Center through collaborative funding provided by AllOne Charities, Moses Taylor Foundation, and Appalachian Regional Commission to expand access to dental services at the Wyoming Valley Healthcare Center,” said Lindsay Shalata, the center’s executive director. “This partnership reflects a shared commitment to improving access to quality dental healthcare for the communities we serve.”
In fiscal year 2025-26, The Wright Center served more than 39,000 unique patients in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties.
As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves all patients, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay.
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