Eastman Dental’s Holly Barone Earns Achievement Award

This prestigious award recognizes excellence, promotes innovation and honors the efforts of individuals and organizations that are making a significant impact on the quality of health care in Rochester.

"Holly’s management and leadership of our outreach programs have been integral in providing access and oral health care to thousands of indigent, homeless, medically-compromised and geographically isolated patients in the Greater Rochester community," said Dr. Cyril Meyerowitz, director of Eastman Dental Center. "When she started her career, the outreach program consisted of two SMILEmobiles and eight employees. Thanks to her efforts, today we have six sites with more than 50 employees providing nearly 30,000 patient visits a year to the neediest in our community."

Donna Hill, R.N. Ph.D., Rochester City School District Coordinator for School Health Services, said that under Barone’s management, the SMILEmobile program has thrived.

"Ms. Barone has organized the infrastructure for the program, been instrumental in seeking and receiving funding and has been involved in policy development and guidelines for her staff," Hill said. "In her quiet and respectful way, she has opened doors for preventative and curative dental care in our District."

Barone is also credited with being a lead player in establishing a first-of-its-kind project to reduce dental access disparities by developing meaningful partnerships with community groups. In addition, she was able to get several EDC outreach sites designated as Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas, making faculty eligible for loan forgiveness, which in turn greatly improves provider recruitment and retention, and thereby providing better service to underserved areas.

"She has exposed residents in Eastman Dental Center’s advanced and specialty training programs to the acute needs of so many underserved children," said Dr. Ronald Billings, a professor in the Department of Dentistry and former EDC director. "Many of these residents have been inspired to work in the outreach facilities and others have returned to volunteer their services after completing their training."

"Holly has been dynamic, articulate and persistent in advocating for underserved populations," added Lenora Colaruotolo, a social worker for the University of Rochester Medical Center. "She is respected for her contributions, recognized for proficiency and admired for her energy and enthusiasm, and models professional excellence in her competence, integrity and service."

Barone will be featured in the Health Care supplement of the March 13 issue of Rochester Business Journal, and will be honored at a luncheon March 19.