Thursday, October 1, 2026
Students at the Lawrence Early Childhood Center were treated to a special visit from Dr. Levi Grosser, a pediatric dentist where they learned the importance of brushing teeth and dental care.
Grosser, an Inwood resident, is opening a new pediatric dental office in Cedarhurst called Smiles Off Central. He wanted to personally reach out to the local community and give back while educating them about dental care.
“I made sure to bring different cartoons that were brushing their teeth,” Grosser said. “I went through the different diets of what’s good for the teeth and what’s bad.”
He showed different pictures of foods and the children provided thumbs up if it was good and thumbs down if it was bad.
The main element of his presentation on Jan. 29 was a bear with big teeth to get the kids into it and to pay attention.
“We spoke about brushing twice a day and how important it is,” he said. “At the end of the day, my goal here is that the kids go home and they are excited to brush their teeth.”
Grosser went to dental school at Tufts University in Massachusetts and was one of two fellows in a special needs fellowship at Stony Brook University. He did his residency at Jamaica Hospital in Queens for two years.
He wanted to make sure the kids felt comfortable when they go to the dentist and to improve their oral hygiene.
“When you deal with little kids it’s hard to know but from the beginning they were into it,” Grosser added. “I just think everything worked out perfectly. I loved coming here because it’s so diverse.”
He said his aim is to give back to the community and play a role in helping out.
“I just want kids to know that dental hygiene starts at home before going to the dentist,” Grosser said.
Grosser also presented to a special education classroom with non-verbal children and spent one-on-one time with each one showing them how to brush their teeth.
“It was really special for them to be able to experience this in a structured like setting and a safe space,” said Jennifer Bloodnick, special education teacher. “I know with this population they have a hard time opening up their mouths and allow access in for a routine checkup.”
She said Grosser built trust in the students by making them feel comfortable as a medical provider.
“They liked the giant toothbrush, the bear and I tried to prep them before he came in,” she said. “We talked about toothbrushes and all things involved with dental care and a check up.”
Patricia Almonaitis, the pre-school supervisor said the student’s were very attentive and participated during the presentation.
“It’s good for reminders to see why we need to brush our teeth,” she said. “It was a great interactive presentation he gave.”
Each student had an opportunity to brush the bear’s teeth and learned how to properly brush.
Students went home with goodie bags filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste and a squishy toy.
“It’s very important especially at an early age to learn how to brush your teeth,” Almonaitis said. “Every single child was quiet and they definitely got a lot out of it.”
