Choptank Health Celebrates Graduation of First Pediatric Dental Residency Class
Graduates of Choptank Health's inaugural NYU Langone Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program are recognized during a ceremony at the Academy Art Museum in Easton. Pictured from left: Dr. Sandra Garbely, Choptank Health Chief Dental Officer; Dr. Hatem Salim; Dr. Neha Shah; Dr. Babak Badri; Dr. Rajesh Adhia, DMD, MPH, MA, Senior Associate Program Director, NYU Langone Dental Medicine; and Hadeel Alhassani, DDS, Pediatric Dental Residency Director at Choptank Health and Associate Program Director for NYU Langone Dental Medicine.
Choptank Community Health System is celebrating a historic milestone with the graduation of the inaugural class of its NYU Langone Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program, marking the successful completion of advanced specialty training by the program's first three residents. The graduates, Dr. Babak Badri, Dr. Hatem Salim, and Dr. Neha Shah, were recognized during a recent ceremony at the Academy Art Museum in Easton, alongside colleagues, faculty, family, and healthcare leaders.
The residency site, sponsored by NYU Langone Dental Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Program and based at Choptank Health, provides advanced pediatric dental training while expanding access to specialized oral healthcare services for children and families throughout Maryland's Eastern Shore.
“This graduation represents an important milestone for Choptank Health, our patients, and the future of pediatric oral healthcare on the Eastern Shore,” said Sara Rich, President and CEO of Choptank Health.
“Together with NYU Langone Dental Medicine and University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, we've created an educational experience that prepares exceptional pediatric dentists while expanding access to specialized care for children across our region,” she said. “We're incredibly proud of these graduates and the foundation they've helped build for future residents.”
In addition to providing comprehensive pediatric dental care in Choptank Health's community health centers, residents complete extensive hospital-based training through University of Maryland Shore Regional Health. This partnership provides experience treating children in both outpatient and hospital settings, including patients requiring dental care under general anesthesia—an essential service for many young children and patients with special healthcare needs.
Residents participate in operating room cases under general anesthesia at UM Shore Medical Center in Easton and UM Shore Regional Health at Cambridge; complete dedicated anesthesiology rotations focused on patient evaluation, airway management, perioperative care, and the safe delivery of anesthesia; and train alongside pediatric and emergency medicine physicians. The interdisciplinary experience prepares graduates to care for children with complex medical needs while strengthening collaboration between medical and dental providers.
The site is led by Hadeel Alhassani, DDS, Pediatric Dental Residency Director at Choptank Health and Associate Program Director for NYU Langone Dental Medicine.
“When we welcomed our first residents, we knew we were building something that would have a lasting impact on both pediatric oral health and workforce development,” Alhassani said. “These graduates embraced every opportunity that came with being the inaugural class. They helped shape the program, establish a strong foundation for future residents, and provide exceptional care to children and families throughout our communities.”
“As the first graduates of this site, Drs. Badri, Salim, and Shah helped establish a strong foundation for future residents while delivering exceptional care to children and families across the Eastern Shore,” said Dr. Rajesh Adhia, DMD, MPH, MA, Senior Associate Program Director, NYU Langone Dental Medicine.
The inaugural class brought together dentists whose professional journeys span multiple countries and cultures, united by a commitment to serving children and families.
For Dr. Neha Shah, who was raised in Mumbai, India, practiced dentistry in India, worked in Canada, and later earned her dental degree through the University of Alberta's advanced placement program, graduation represents both personal and professional achievement.
“Graduating as part of Choptank Health's first NYU Langone dental residency class is a meaningful milestone," Shah said. "Being part of the inaugural class meant having the opportunity to build something new. We worked closely with faculty and staff to help shape the structure and culture of the program while serving patients who may otherwise face barriers to care.”
Shah said caring for families across the Eastern Shore reinforced the importance of community-based healthcare.
“Dentistry extends beyond treating teeth. It is about understanding people, their circumstances, and their overall health,” she said. “Improving access to oral healthcare can make a lasting difference in a community's overall well-being.”
Dr. Hatem Salim, originally from Cairo, Egypt, completed his dental education and specialty training in Egypt before earning his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Michigan. Inspired in part by his experiences as a father of two children with special needs, he pursued pediatric dentistry to help improve care for children and families.
“Graduating from Choptank Health's first NYU Langone dental residency class is both a tremendous honor and a source of great pride,” Salim said. “We were pioneers, helping establish a foundation that will benefit future residents while building a program that will continue serving children throughout the region.”
Salim said training in a rural community health setting provided experiences unavailable in many traditional residency programs.
“We had the privilege of serving children and families from rural and underserved communities while learning from faculty mentors who were deeply invested in our success,” he said. “Those experiences strengthened not only my clinical skills, but also my understanding of the barriers many families face in accessing care.”
Dr. Babak Badri's path to pediatric dentistry began in Tehran, Iran, where he initially earned an engineering degree before immigrating to the United States and ultimately pursuing his dream of becoming a dentist. After graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry and completing a general dentistry residency, he joined Choptank Health's pediatric dentistry residency program.
“Becoming a pediatric dentist has been my professional dream since I first entered dentistry,” Badri said. “This program provided a unique opportunity to turn that dream into reality while developing the skills and confidence necessary to care for children and support the oral health of entire families.”
Badri said the community health setting helped shape his perspective as a healthcare provider.
“Serving children and families whose access to healthcare might otherwise be limited has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” he said. “Choptank Health helped me become not only a stronger clinician but also a more compassionate and service-oriented pediatric dentist.”
The graduation represents an important milestone in Choptank Health's growing role as a healthcare training organization and reflects its commitment to strengthening the healthcare workforce serving Maryland's Eastern Shore. As future classes enter the program at this location, these graduates leave behind more than a completed residency.
They leave a foundation for future pediatric dentists, expanded access to specialized pediatric oral healthcare, and a legacy as the first class to transform a vision into reality.
Choptank Health provides access to exceptional, comprehensive, and integrated healthcare services for more than 30,000 Mid-Shore residents through medical, dental, behavioral health, school-based health, and community-based programs. New medical patients are welcome at all locations, with more at www.choptankhealth.org.