If the life and career of E. Steven Moriconi, D.M.D., could be summed up in one word, it would be this—education. In addition to the extensive duties he performs as chief of the dental division at Abington Memorial Hospital, Dr. Moriconi also serves as Abington Memorial’s program director for the hospital’s general practice residency. As head of the residency program since 1987, he acts as a teacher and guide for residents of the highly exclusive program, which accepts only four out of approximately 70 applicants each year.
“I absolutely love everything about what I do,” says Dr. Moriconi, who estimates he has trained nearly 100 residents over the course of his time with Abington Memorial. “I wouldn’t trade places with anyone else in the world.”
Dr. Moriconi, who completed undergraduate study at Fordham University in his native New York City and earned his D.M.D. at the University of Pennsylvania, is certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. At both Abington Memorial and his private practice in Jenkintown, he treats a wide spectrum of conditions, including benign tumors of the jaw and temporomandibular joint disorders. He specializes in the removal of impacted teeth and placement of dental implants.
Implantology is one area in which the doctor is extremely well versed. “I’ve been placing implants since the early ’80s and I’ve placed well over 10,000 implants,” he says, noting that because of the state-of-the-art Cone Beam 3-D imaging systems in his private practice, along with the six different implant systems at his disposal, he is able to achieve superior results for patients. The doctor is even able to administer IV anesthesia right in his office.
Perhaps more remarkable than even these accomplishments and credentials is the work he has done through the not-for-profit group Men Anpil, Inc.
Dr. Moriconi, who serves as president of Men Anpil, took the first steps of his journey to founding the 501(c)(3) organization when he participated in a volunteer trip to Haiti following the catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated the island nation in January 2010.
“I went right after the earthquake because I thought it was time for me to do something outside of my comfort zone,” says Dr. Moriconi. “I immediately felt the call and I needed to do something that would make a difference.”
Inspired by his best friend, who is a native of Haiti, Dr. Moriconi felt compelled to utilize his skills—namely, those he has acquired as an oral surgeon—to benefit the country when it found itself in need.
“The human devastation I saw and the battlefield oral surgery I provided made my first trip to Haiti life-changing,” he recalls. “I can work myself into tears just thinking about it.”
The goal of Men Anpil is to provide financial support to Haitian students seeking advanced professional careers in medicine or dentistry at institutions in their home country and in the Dominican Republic.
“One of the problems with NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] is that the solutions provided are stop-gap, temporary and don’t contribute anything to the local culture,” he says. For this reason, Men Anpil encourages students to stay in Haiti to utilize their newfound skills and qualifications to better the health of their nation.
In line with this mission, Men Anpil works with The Christianville Dental Clinic in Gressier, Haiti, where local students and staff dentists can observe oral surgeries and where local patients can receive treatment. This accomplishes the dual goals of providing funding for the clinic, as patients are charged a small amount for their treatments, and allows students to practice their skills in a real-world environment. “The clinic has increased revenue as a result, and the newly experienced dentists can then perform procedures in our absence. It’s a win-win situation,” Dr. Moriconi notes.
Men Anpil derives its name from the Haitian proverb “Men anpil chay pa lou,” roughly translated as “many hands lighten a load,” a sentiment that echoes the group’s notion that though the work of training a new generation of health care professionals in Haiti is great, it can be only be accomplished with the help of many. Such support also comes from institutions, including Dr. Moriconi’s own Abington Memorial, which donated a whole operatory suite to the Christianville clinic.
Soon he will make his sixth trip to Haiti, along with a small group of four or five colleagues, to provide pro-bono treatment to patients. “Most of us who go will buy our own supplies and load up three or four suitcases,” he says, noting that such provisions can sustain the clinic for as long as six months. Donated supplies are brought as well.
Not surprisingly, the doctor has received a good bit of recognition for his work abroad. Abington Memorial honored him with the Champion of Diversity award from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee for his work in 2011. He received the Pennsylvania Dental Association’s (PDA) Public Service Award in 2013. Recently, the Haitian Professionals of Philadelphia organization named Dr. Moriconi an honorary Haitian citizen. In addition, he has received local recognition for his efforts and expertise with annual Donated Dental Services awards since 2006. He has been named a Philadelphia magazine “Top Dentist” every year since the magazine started the survey, as well as a “Top Doc” in 2002, the only year oral surgeons were included in that category. Finally, Dr. Moriconi was inducted into both the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists this past year in honor of his contributions to dentistry as a whole. Less than 5 percent of all dentists around the world are inducted into these honorary societies.
Emphasizing points from his acceptance speech delivered to colleagues at the PDA meeting, Dr. Moriconi says, “You don’t have to sit here and listen to me; you can go out and do the same thing. You don’t even have to leave your chair to do something for someone else.”
Dr. Moriconi says that more than anything, such opportunities provide him the chance to share with fellow dentists the importance of training new health care professionals in areas such as Haiti, where the need is great. “I use these things to, hopefully, inspire others,” he says.
“We’re always looking for sponsors and donors to help with our programs,” Dr. Moriconi says of Men Anpil, noting that the organization welcomes people to contact the group via the website, www.menanpil.net, regarding volunteer opportunities or donations. And, of course, Dr. Moriconi is always happy to accept new patients into his private practice.
E. Steven Moriconi, D.M.D.
609 Harper Avenue
Jenkintown, PA 19046
215-884-8263
esmdmd@aol.com
www.drmoriconi.com | menanpil.net
Photograph by Nina Lea Photography
