8 APRIL - 2023IN MY OPINIONPrioritizing Access to Dental Care: Challenges and Solutions for the FutureBy Leslie Pomponi Locke, Operations Director, Department of Dentistry, Boston Children's HospitalPLEASE BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR JOURNEY AND CURRENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AT BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.I have been employed at Boston Children's for approximately 16 years, beginning my journey on the inpatient side. I have also worked in research and emergency departments before returning to the inpatient side as a manager. Six years ago, I joined the dental practice, marking my first experience in an ambulatory clinic setting. While I had no prior experience in dentistry, I was familiar with the hospital and had a good understanding of its operations.As the Operations Director, I oversee our frontline patient experience and revenue team, who work at our front desk and handle phone calls. I also support our operating room operations, where we perform approximately 1100 cases annually. With a few operating room schedulers, I assist in supporting their work. Additionally, I collaborate with our two clinic managers and executive administrative director on various projects related to clinical operations. This includes recruiting, optimizing our clinical schedule, and any other clinical operations projects that we undertake.WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES MOST HEALTHCARE AND DENTAL FACILITIES FACE WHEN IT COMES TO THE OPERATIONS SIDE?Access is the most pressing challenge that healthcare and dentistry currently face. Although COVID-19 is somewhat behind us, the healthcare industry still struggles to provide access to patients who need it. As a hospital dental department, we were able to remain open during the pandemic, but we still operate under precautions that limit our ability to use all of our dental chairs due to shared rooms. We cannot perform aerosol-generating procedures in shared dental rooms, which has greatly impacted our access to care for all our patients.What makes the Boston Children's Department of Dentistry unique is that we serve several populations. We cater to the community in the Boston area, as well Leslie Pomponi Locke
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