John DiNorcia was born with a genetic condition called G Syndrome, which left him with an intellectual disability. During his childhood, he attended the Midland School in North Branch and currently goes to a Midland Adult Services day program.
When John was growing up, a visit to the dentist, says his mother Dorothy, "made him squirm in fear." About five years ago, she discovered the Matheny Center of Medicine and Dentistry in Peapack, and John's visits to the dentist have changed dramatically. "It's very hard finding a dentist for a person with a disability," says Dorothy DiNorcia, a resident of Raritan. "Most dentists wanted to put him out because they felt they could clean his teeth better that way. One dentist even told me to sit on him while he was being treated." At Matheny, "he walks in all by himself. The staff talks to him in a very calm way. Everyone is so friendly."
The Matheny Center of Medicine and Dentistry specializes in healthcare for people with mild to severe developmental disabilities in an outpatient setting. Dental services and treatment include x-rays, cleanings, treatment of cavities, extractions, restorative dentistry, oral surgery and root canals. Services are provided in partnership with Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.
What differentiates Matheny's dental clinic from most dental practices is that its dentist, Mengchi Steven Yang, DDS, is trained to provide care for patients who may make sudden, involuntary movements or who may need to be lifted from a wheelchair to the dentist's chair. And the environment is friendly to patients with disabilities, who often feel out of place in an ordinary dentist's office.
"It has to do with how they handle him," says Dorothy DiNorcia. "They talk to him. They show him everything."
Insurance covers less than 50% of the cost of care at the Matheny Center of Medicine and Dentistry. That's why Matheny is joining thousands of causes around the globe to celebrate #GivingTuesday, a national day of giving on December 3 to celebrate the holiday season. Matheny is focusing its #GivingTuesday campaign on raising funds for the Center of Medicine and Dentistry, which treats more than 800 people like John from communities throughout New Jersey.
For more information on Matheny's #GivingTuesday campaign, log onto www.matheny.org or check out the Matheny Facebook page. For more information on #GivingTuesday, log onto www.givingtuesday.org.
