Veterans of Correctional Dentistry: Meet the Experts William Kushner III, DDS, FAGD, supervising dentist for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, director of AGD Region 13, and director of the California AGD Pathway to Fellowship program • Opened a private practice in 1994. • Joined the police academy and became a reserve deputy in 1999. • Sold his private practice and became a correctional dentist in 2005. • Promoted to supervising dentist in 2007. Michael W. Lew, DMD, MAGD, chief dentist, California Department of State Hospitals • Operated a private practice for 25 years before becoming a correctional dentist in 2007. Rhay Street, DDS, Cook County Department of Corrections • Opened a private practice. • Began working part time for the Cook County Department of Corrections, eventually transitioned to full time. • Left in 1999 to work for a community health center that served underserved populations in Chicago. • Returned to the Cook County Department of Corrections in 2017. Ronald Townsend, DDS, private practitioner • Began his own private practice in 1988. • Began working for the Cook County Department of Corrections in 1991. • Promoted to chief of dental services in 2010. • Retired from the Cook County Department of Corrections in 2017. • Continues to operate his private practice. Eric Wong, DDS, MAGD, supervising dentist, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation • Operated a private practice for 20 years before becoming a correctional dentist in 2007.
accept the treatment plan suggested by a correctional dentist, Street added. However, correctional facilities didn’t always offer comprehensive care. For example, in the past, the sole treatment model for incarcerated individuals in California was urgent care. “Now, we have a much more comprehensive care model where we offer annual
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AGD IMPACT JANUARY 2025
checkups to our patients and provide a treatment plan that encourages better oral hygiene,” Wong said.
The Realities of Correctional Dentistry Working as a correctional dentist isn’t for everyone, but many have found the work to be rewarding and satisfying. However,
there are some key differences from private practice. First, when working in a correctional facility, “you lose the autonomy to practice as you see fit,” Wong said. “It’s a very litigious environment, and we’re governed by strict policies and procedures to ensure that each individual is treated with the same amount of fairness.”