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DHSS Press Release



Rita Landgraf, Secretary
Jill Fredel, Director of Communications
302-255-9047, Pager 302-357-7498
Email: jill.fredel@delaware.gov

Date: January 26, 2017
DHSS-01-2017





DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH WELCOMES NEW DENTAL DIRECTOR


DOVER, DE (JAN. 26, 2017) - The Division of Public Health (DPH) is pleased to welcome Dr. Nicholas Conte, as Dental Director for the DPH Bureau of Oral Health and Dental Services (BOHDS).

Dr. Conte is a prosthodontist who most recently served as the Director of Clinical Research and Education for Dentsply Sirona.

He has prior experience in both private practice and as a faculty member at New Jersey Dental School (renamed the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine), where he taught both undergraduate and post-graduate prosthodontics.

Dr. Conte has lectured extensively both nationally and internationally, conducted clinical research trials, and worked on product development teams for impression materials, composites, adhesives, and cements.

"We are fortunate to have someone with Dr. Conte's qualifications joining the DPH family," said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. "It is exciting to find a leader who has touched on so many different areas in his profession. His recognition of the value of oral health and how it impacts overall health will help lead the Bureau of Oral Health and Dental Services into the future."

"I am very excited and honored to be named the Dental Director and to be a part of the Division of Public Health," Dr. Conte said. "I look forward to continuing the great work that has already been done, maintaining important partnerships previously established within the state, and fostering new relationships with external partners. I also look forward to working with the Delaware dental community to improve general awareness about the importance of oral health and the key role it plays in our overall wellness."

DPH dental clinics serve the Medicaid and uninsured communities (age 20 and under) surrounding each of its five state service centers throughout Delaware. The BOHDS has made great strides in promoting oral health in the state, including:

The Bureau of Oral Health and Dental Services was awarded a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Oral Health Workforce Activities grant in the amount of $481,826 for each of the next three years. The grant will address:

DPH has also implemented several oral health programs that are integrated within the school systems throughout the state.

The Bureau also participates in community activities as often as possible such as Mission of Mercy, Stand Down, and Give Kids A Smile, while providing donations and coordinating educational outreach for various organizations.

For more information on BOHDS and the services it offers, call 302-744-4554 or visit http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsm/ohphome.html.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person's spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.



Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.





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