The History of New York Periodontics
Odrich – Pollack -Sarmiento
New York Periodontics is a legacy practice with roots extending back to the 1960s.
Ron Odrich began practicing periodontics under the mentorship of Dr. Frank Beube, one of the early leaders of the field as it grew in scientific and professional rigor. Starting in 1963 Dr. Odrich began practicing on his own, first in a brownstone on East 65th Street before moving to Park and 61st Street.
Dr. Odrich came to be known as one of the finest and most respected periodontists in NYC and internationally. Capitalizing on his heritage and fluency in Italian he embarked on a 30-year career lecturing throughout Italy, training an early generation of periodontal professionals in the country. In addition to his pre-eminence as a periodontist in the city he also pursued his other passion, music, performing jazz clarinet at clubs and theaters throughout the city. He even did a stint in the Broadway play “Lenny”, finishing treating patients every afternoon and heading over to Broadway for his performance before a different audience.
Beginning in the early 1990’s, after some 30 years as a solo practitioner, Dr. Odrich began searching for potential partners to join him in practice. Alan Winter and Alan Pollack joined Ron in practice starting in the mid-90’s, jointly known as Park Avenue Periodontal Associates, a professional corporation. The practice continued to grow as they each expanded their own reputations and followings. At its peak, the practice encompassed five doctors with a staff of 20, continuing to carry the banner of one of the leading periodontal practices in New York.
The trio lasted as a team until 2010, at which time Winter chose to leave the partnership and return to his roots as a solo practitioner . Starting late in 2011 Drs. Odrich and Pollack relocated to the current office on East 64th, opposite the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital.
In 2014, Dr. Hector Sarmiento joined our practice, seamlessly perpetuating the legacy of top-tier training, knowledge, skill, and patient care that has been upheld for decades. This period marked a pivotal transition for the practice, then known as Pollack Periodontal Associates following the relocation to 64th Street. Dr. Sarmiento, a professor, researcher, and international lecturer at that time, seamlessly integrated into the practice’s upscale mindset.
As Dr. Ron Odrich began to reduce his patient treatment time, and Dr. Alan Pollack assumed a more significant role in the Academy of Osseointegration, a leading international dental implant professional organization, the practice underwent strategic shifts. Dr. Pollack’s involvement escalated, starting as the chair of the Research Committee in the early 2000s, ultimately serving as President from 2016 to 2017. Meanwhile, Dr. Sarmiento, a superbly trained clinician, played an increasingly vital role in maintaining the highest standard of patient care and assuming administrative responsibilities. During this transformative period, he earned the distinction of becoming one of the youngest board examiners ever to serve with the American Academy of Periodontology.
Dr. Sarmiento’s increased involvement enabled Pollack to make a major shift in his career focus as he became involved with a medtech startup company developing a novel bone adhesive for use in dental and orthopedic surgery. Starting as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board, eventually Chair, he was asked to join the company to oversee the dental clinical operations and help develop a number of new products for a variety of surgical indications.
Starting in mid-2022 Pollack left practice to assume his new position as director of dental clinical operations, though still regularly engaged with Dr. Sarmiento and periodontics in general. Alongside his commitments to the practice, Dr. Sarmiento continues to share his expertise by teaching at his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, every Tuesday. His contributions extend beyond the clinical setting, with numerous peer-reviewed scientific articles and textbooks that serve as valuable resources for specialists in the field.
Life is a cycle and the practice now returns to its roots, started by Dr. Ron Odrich over 60 years ago, with Dr. Sarmiento as a single practitioner carrying the banner for this exceptional New York City-based periodontal practice. The rest of this unique history is yet to be written.