Pennsylvania - The Wright Center - AEGD

What is the mission of your training site?
As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and essential safety-net provider, The Wright Center for Community Health delivers care to vulnerable and medically underserved populations, regardless of age, ethnic background, ZIP code, insurance status, or ability to pay. In Fiscal Year 2025, our growing network of community health centers across Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties provided approximately 38,300 unique patients with care. Located in Northeast Pennsylvania, just two hours from Philadelphia and New York City, we remain steadfast in our mission to improve the health and welfare of our communities through responsive, whole-person health services for all and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve. 

What types of dental services can I expect to perform?
We provide comprehensive dental care for our patients, offering a full range of general dentistry services. These include emergency care, composite and amalgam restorations, crowns and bridges, simple and surgical extractions, partial and complete dentures, endodontics (including molars), and pediatric dentistry. Our full-time hygienists work closely with our dentists, who perform hygiene exams regularly.

Several of our AEGD residency graduates have chosen to continue practicing at our dental clinics. For example, Dr. Michael Regan, who works at our largest dental clinic, stayed in Northeast Pennsylvania after completing his AEGD residency at our community health center in Scranton.

Click here to read more about Dr. Regan’s journey.

“My hope was to become a more well-rounded provider and practice comprehensive dentistry,” Dr. Regan said about his residency experience at The Wright Center. “One of the biggest benefits of The Wright Center’s program has been developing a skill set that you wouldn’t get elsewhere.”

What types of technologies can I expect to use?
Our dental clinics feature comfortable, well-equipped operatories and cutting-edge technology to enhance diagnosis and treatment. We use an Orthopantomograph 3D LX to capture a single panoramic X-ray of the teeth, mandible, and maxilla. Intraoral scanners and cameras provide faster, more comfortable, and highly accurate alternatives to traditional silicone impressions, enabling precise planning for crowns, aligners, implants, and other treatments. These tools also make it easier to communicate visually with patients and dental laboratories.

We also use CAD/CAM milling to precisely manufacture crowns and bridges, which saves time by allowing for rapid design and manufacturing, sometimes leading to same-day restorations.

Our clinics also utilize piezosurgery, a minimally invasive surgical technique that uses ultrasonic vibrations to cut bone tissue. This approach reduces pain, swelling, and bleeding while protecting surrounding tissues.

Our dental training sites are equipped with the latest tools, including the Isolite system, rotary endodontics, apex locators, and Dentrix digital charts, providing daily opportunities for hands-on learning and career preparation.

What is the patient population?
We serve a diverse patient population with patients from many socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. We accept all insurance types, including a significant number of  uninsured or underinsured patients. Our sliding fee scale helps underinsured patients receive the treatment they need. With such a large patient population, there is a great demand for our services. In the 2023-2024 academic year, our AEGD residents averaged 1,500 patient visits each.

What is life like outside of the training site?
Whether you love exploring the outdoors or enjoy all the amenities of urban life, Northeast Pennsylvania has plenty to offer. The Wright Center is headquartered in Scranton, Pennsylvania, which offers plenty of cultural treasures, beautiful parks and hiking trails, and a ton of history – from pop culture touchstones like the beloved television show, “The Office,” to the lasting impact of our industrial past, put in context at Steamtown National Park and the Lackawanna County Coal Mine Tour. Learn more about Scranton and the surrounding communities at https://discovernepa.com/

Additionally, Northeast Pennsylvania is conveniently located about two hours from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New York, New York, and about an hour from the Poconos.

Will residents have the opportunity to restore and/or place implants at your training site?
Yes, our residents participate in the planning and placement of implants as well as restorations. Residents in the past have placed and restored single-tooth implants and implant-retained removable overdentures. They work side by side with our faculty members for these procedures to ensure adequate training and successful outcomes.

Will residents treat children in your training site?
Yes, our residents treat children at our training facility. Procedures may be done with nitrous oxide. Pediatric procedures performed in the clinic include stainless steel crowns, pulpotomies, primary tooth extraction, and placement of space maintainers.