[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 178 (Friday, November 9, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1505]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING GARY HEITZLER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 9, 2018

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, Saint Joseph's Medical Center located in my 
district hosted its annual Ball on November 3 and chose an outstanding 
slate of honorees for the event. One of those wonderful honorees is 
Doctor Gary Heitzler, a very active member on the Hospital's Medical 
Board.
  A D.D.S., Dr. Heitzler is a product of the New York City public 
school system and received a scholarship and graduated from CUNY at 
Queens College. While at dental school, he was very active in community 
outreach programs and assisted in providing education and much needed 
dental care to many underserved communities on Long Island. He received 
the American Dental Association's Children's Dentistry and Service 
Award upon graduating from dental school. Wanting to continue his 
efforts in providing education and dental care to the underserved, Dr. 
Heitzler decided to complete a two-year Pediatric Dental residency at 
Brookdale Medical Center located in Brooklyn, New York. He received his 
Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry in 1994 and opened his own practice 
that same year in Westchester County.
  As his private practice grew, Dr. Heitzler realized that he still was 
not reaching the pediatric population that most needed quality 
pediatric dental care. He reached out to Saint Joseph's Medical Center 
as the hospital had the reputation of providing quality healthcare to 
the community and never turning any patient away who needed help. In 
February 2001, Saint Joseph's Medical Center and Dr. Heitzler opened 
the hospital's first ever Pediatric Dental Center. The practice grew 
very rapidly as this much-needed service was welcomed by the community. 
Now, in 2018, Dentistry For Children at Saint Joseph's Medical Center 
has over 17,000 active patients, ten dental chairs, a staff of over 
twenty and countless happy parents and children.
  In addition to the hospital-based practice, Dr. Heitzler maintains 
two other pediatric dental practices located in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 
and Peekskill, NY. Outside of work, he resides in Briarcliff Manor with 
his wife Melissa, and their three children; Jenna, Spencer and Jackson.
  I want to take the opportunity to congratulate Dr. Heitzler on this 
auspicious occasion and, on behalf of New York's 16th Congressional 
District, thank him for all the fine work he has done to improve the 
lives of people in the community.

                          ____________________