Urgent Dental Care Opens New Location in Syracuse
(Syracuse, NY) – Urgent Dental Care (UDC), the nation’s first on-call emergency dental facility, has opened a new location in Syracuse to provide immediate dental care for patients across Onondaga County and Central New York. Modeled after urgent health clinics, UDC is designed to reduce unnecessary emergency room visits while supporting both patients and local dental practices.
“Our mission is simple: no one should have to suffer through a dental emergency because their dentist is closed or unavailable,” said founder Thomas R. Sansone, DDS. “This model ensures patients get seen right away, while local dentists and hospitals benefit from the added support.”
Meeting a Critical Need
Hospital emergency departments see thousands of dental-related visits each year, yet they are not equipped to provide definitive treatment. UDC offers an alternative by treating urgent dental issues such as toothaches, abscesses, sports injuries, and broken teeth—any day of the week. Patients are stabilized at UDC and then referred back to their regular dentist for follow-up care, ensuring continuity.
Local dentist Terry O’Keefe, DDS praised the model: “Urgent Dental Care has been a wonderful extension of my practice. As a solo practitioner, I can trust they’ll care for my patients when I can’t be available.”
Syracuse Facility Now Open
The new facility is located inside St. Joseph’s Medical Center at 5100 W Taft Rd, Liverpool, NY, and will employ up to five dentists and ten additional staff. This expansion brings new healthcare jobs to the region while offering patients a faster, more cost-effective solution than the ER. “Patients in pain can’t always wait until Monday morning,” said Jessie Hemingway, Office Manager of UDC Syracuse. “Being here for them seven days a week makes all the difference.”
Building on Proven Success
Founded in Rochester in 2018, UDC has since expanded to Buffalo, NY, Bradenton, FL and now Syracuse. Its facilities see roughly 300 patients per month, easing strain on hospitals while providing patients with immediate relief. Services include:
- 24-hour live scheduling coordinators
- Same-day emergency appointments
- Insurance processing and flexible payment options
- After-hours and weekend coverage for dental practices
During the COVID-19 pandemic, UDC’s model proved especially valuable as many dental offices closed. UDC continued treating emergencies, supporting both patients and practices while reinforcing trust in its collaborative approach.
Looking Ahead
Dr. Sansone, who has practiced in the Rochester area for over 30 years, plans to expand the UDC model nationwide. “We’re proud to start here in New York, but the need exists everywhere. Our goal is to make emergency dental care accessible to patients across the country.”
