Team
Providers
Rusty is the director emeritus and head of research at LCPC. He has a BA in Psychology from Dartmouth College, a DMD from the University of Pittsburgh and a MS in Speech Pathology from the University of Pittsburgh. He obtained his certificate in orthodontics from the University of North Carolina and his PhD in Developmental Biology from the University of North Carolina. Rusty is the site PI for NIH grants. He has supervised research projects of orthodontic residents, oversees the Americleft Project, leads the LCPC quality improvement and quality assurance activities, presents and publishes LCPC research results and assists other staff members in scholarly endeavors. He enjoys traveling, fine dining, hanging out with family, long walks in the woods, reading, and mowing on his tractor. Rusty has four children whom are all married. One lives local and three live out of state. He also has 11 grandchildren, 10 girls and 1 boy. He loves helping children with disabilities achieve their full human potential by rising above their disability, cleft/craniofacial anomalies in particular. He is grateful for the opportunity to become part of a patient’s life and “family” from birth to adulthood and to be able to witness firsthand the rewards of their efforts. He also feels blessed to be able to work side-by-side with dedicated, talented, caring and compassionate colleagues from such a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds.
Liz is the executive director and pediatric dentist at LCPC. She has a BA in Biology and Public Policy from Duke University, a DMD from the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Dental Medicine, and a MPH from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management. She completed her residency from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Hospitals in Pediatric Dentistry.
Liz does pediatric dental care including cleft craniofacial care, special needs and hospital dentistry. She helps provide hospital care at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital and Penn Medicine – LGH. She also works with the board of directors to oversee financial management, development, and fundraising at the clinic and works with the marketing and communications team. Outside of the office, Liz enjoys photography and traveling. She is married with two sons and a dog named Natasha. Her belief is that children are the future and that LCPC is helping them to reach their full potential in life. Her favorite memory here was seeing the clinic “graduates” finish team treatment and enter the world with their cleft care in the rearview mirror. She truly loves what she does because of the incredible team whose primary mission is to change and improve lives.
Robert is the otolaryngologist (Ears, Nose and Throat) at LCPC. He attended Franklin & Marshall College, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland. Robert is responsible for the care of the patient’s ears, nose and throat. Robert enjoys spending time with his family and tennis. He also likes music, especially the trumpet. He has two red fox labs, one that is 10 years old and the other is 10 weeks old. His favorite part of working at the clinic is seeing the kids smile.
Donna Brosbe MD, FAAP.
Donna is a general Pediatrician and has been working with the team at LCPC for more than 10 years. She monitors children and their growth and development and watches for any problems that may develop. She also works in a private practice as a Pediatrician. She graduated from Ursinus College with a BS in Chemistry. She went to medical school at Temple University and did her Pediatric Residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Donna has lived in Lancaster for more than 30 years. She and her husband Bob have three wonderful grown children and two fabulous grandchildren. Her other interests include scuba diving, reading and learning Hebrew. She has loved her experience at LCPC and has learned so much from the other team members. She finds that it is rare to work in such a cooperative team and is in awe of the strength and grace of the patients and their families. She finds it a privilege to become a part of their lives.
Wasna Dabbagh, or Waz as her friends and patients know her by, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in Philadelphia, PA and the University of Baghdad, School of Dentistry in Baghdad, Iraq. In 2014, she spent a year in Lancaster doing a dental general practice residency at LGH. That was when she got the wonderful chance to be part of LCPC and to learn all about its rich history and inclusive culture. She was lucky enough to receive her specialty training in Orthodontics and Craniofacial Orthopedics from the Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, where she continued visiting LCPC on a regular basis and expanded her knowledge in that field. In her free time Wasna likes to spend time with her big, loud human and dog family while contemplating where to travel next. She looks forward to spending more time at LCPC and getting to learn more about the incredible patients and their wonderful families.
Wanda is an orthodontist at LCPC. She obtained her DDS from Virginia Commonwealth University and orthodontic training at Temple University. Her master’s thesis was on cleft treatment outcomes using data from LCPC and other clinics internationally (results published in CPCJ). She has worked at the clinic for about 15 years and her responsibilities include orthodontic evaluation and consulting.
She enjoys traveling, singing and reading. She has two young daughters, a husband and two cats, William and Harry, who fill her life with chaos and laughter. She enjoys her work at LCPC because the patients and their families are a constant inspiration to her. They face life’s burdens with strength and optimism and are truly amazing. She also feels the team at the clinic is second to none. She could work closer to her private orthodontic practice near DC, but instead she drives two and a half hours to be at LCPC because she believes the caregivers here hold themselves to the absolute highest standards, always staying on top of the latest research and technology, and always comparing their results to other centers throughout the world. She says there is no ego or selfishness to be found on the team and that they are all united in their commitment to give 110% to their patients.
Steven is a pediatrician at LCPC. He obtained his M.D. with a pediatric residency at Drexel University. His responsibilities include checking the patients for ear infections and addressing any other pediatric, behavioral, or child rearing issues with patients and their parents. Outside of work, Steven plays and performs regularly with the “Ukulele Uprising” in Lancaster. He is married with two grown children, two old dogs, and two cute granddaughters. He loves what he does at the clinic because he is surrounded by great subspecialists. He always learns a lot and makes sure that all of the families’ concerns are addressed.
Dr. Mackay is the William P Graham III Professor of Plastic Surgery and interim Chair of the Department of Surgery at the Penn State College of Medicine and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Dr. Mackay initially trained as a dentist before entering medical school at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg South Africa. He completed General and Plastic Surgery training in South Africa and was the Chief of Plastic Surgery at the Johannesburg Hospital before joining the Division of Plastic Surgery under Dr. Ernie Manders in 1991. He was appointed Chief of Plastic Surgery in 1998 and made the William P. Graham III Professor of Plastic Surgery in 2003. Under his leadership the division grew from three to nine full-time faculty and oversaw the development of a successful Integrated Plastic Surgery residency program. Dr. Mackay’s clinical focus has been in Pediatric Plastic Surgery and Cleft lip and palate. He has been on the attending staff of the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic for 30 years and has served on the clinic’s board for the past 10 years. Dr. Mackay is currently the President of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, the oldest and most prestigious Plastic Surgery organization in North America.Since emigrating in 1991 Dr. Mackay and his wife Susan have lived in Hershey with their three boys, Duncan, Andrew and Calum. They all attended the Hershey Schools and now live with their own families in Philadelphia. Duncan is currently a fifth-year plastic surgery resident at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Samson is a pediatric plastic surgeon at LCPC. He graduated from California State University, Northridge (Cum Laude) with a B.A., Biology in 1997. He earned his M.D. from Creighton University School of Medicine in 2002. He was a resident in General Surgery at Mayo Clinic Arizona, then in Plastic Surgery at Penn State Hershey, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. His fellowship in Craniomaxillofacial Surgery was at University of Toronto Hospital for Sick Children.
He enjoys auto racing, basketball, football, hockey, and baseball. He has three awesome children, two guinea pigs and a goldfish. Dr. Samson works at the clinic because of the people he gets to work with and the patients he is able to serve.
Dr. Sharnetzka has served as the audiologist for the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic since 2007. She has also served as an adjunct professor for Towson University. She currently participates with the Pennsylvania South Central Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Community for pediatrics. Rachel Sharnetzka, Au.D. CCC-A, obtained her Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders from Penn State University and later graduated from Vanderbilt University with her master’s degree in Audiology. She then went on to obtain her Doctor of Audiology from AT Still University, Arizona School of Health Sciences. She has worked in a variety of settings, including the University of Maryland Medical Center, AC Associates Hearing, Tinnitus and Balance Center and Towson University’s Institute for Well Being Hearing and Balance Center. Dr. Sharnetzka’s areas of interest include pediatric amplification, bone conduction hearing aids and cleft-craniofacial care. She enjoys the collaborative and supportive nature of team care and has a special passion for working with pediatric patients with cleft lip, cleft palate and other craniofacial differences. In addition to working at LCPC, she enjoys spending time in Fenwick Island, DE with her husband, three children and their yellow lab, Sugar. One of her favorite memories of LCPC was the day she interviewed for the position and heard the history of the clinic. She was completely hooked on the clinic and its mission after hearing Dr. Long describe how his grandfather opened the clinic in 1938 and she knew she wanted to be a part of the LCPC family.
Dr. Sarah Wentzel is the team orthodontist on Tuesdays at the LCPC where she supervises the orthodontic care of patients. She also has a seat on the LCPC board of directors. In addition, Sarah is a full-time orthodontist at LOA Orthodontics. She received her bachelors from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA and her DMD from Temple University. She graduated at the top of her dental school class and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society. She then completed her 3 year orthodontic residency and obtained a Masters of Science in Dentistry and Certification in Orthodontics at the University of Maryland.
Sarah is a member of both national and local dental and orthodontic study clubs to stay current with new developments in orthodontics. Her spare time is used up by being a mom to two beautiful little girls, Beatrix and Maxine.
Clinical Staff
Carey is the orthodontic technician and OR coordinator at LCPC. She obtained her EFDA license. She works with the orthodontists to treat orthodontics patients and schedules pediatric patients for dental surgery. Outside of work, Carey loves going to the beach, making crafts and gardening. Her and her husband Josh live in Brownstown with their amazing children Austin, 11, and Madison, 7 and their shih-poo named Bailey. She has enjoyed working here since 2004. She loves the people she works with as well as getting to know patients and their families. She feels it is so rewarding to see all of the positive changes they help create in the lives of their patients.
Jennifer has been a dental assistant for 22 years. She works with pediatric patients, and is currently developing an avenue for parents and patients to gain additional support and services through school districts as Patient Advocate. This new role stems from personal experience as a parent of a child with special needs. Jennifer has two daughters, one who is deaf and one who has autism. The family has a dog, Bella, who has a cleft and is being trained to be LCPC’s therapy dog! Jennifer enjoys reading and cooking. She loves working at LCPC because she believes in the organization’s mission. It’s very rewarding, she says, to be part of making a difference in someone’s life.
MaryCatherine is a registered dental hygienist at LCPC. She holds an associate’s degree in dental hygiene, an associate’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She fulfills her duties as a dental hygienist and does periodontal therapy. She is also LCPC’s OSHA queen. MaryCatherine enjoys participating in triathlons, reading and eating. She has two teenage daughters and a dag named Hailee. She works at LCPC because their mission = your family. She appreciates that everyone at the clinic knows she is always hungry and bring her food. She loves what she does because she receives more from her patients then she could ever give.
Alice is a dental assistant at LCPC. She is also a patient coordinator and works in billing. Alice loves spending time at the beach or pool as well as spending time with her grandkids. She is a mother of three wonderful kids, one daughter and two sons. She also has five grandkids whom she loves dearly.
Jessica is an orthodontic technician at LCPC. She is an YTI graduate with seven years of experience in orthodontics. Jessica enjoys spending time with family, working on puzzles and seeing musicals. She has a wonderful other half, Steven, an eight year old daughter Shiloh, and four cats.
Kim is the orthodontic/x-ray technician at LCPC. She has over 40 years of experience and was trained by Dr. Rusty Long. She was his first assistant in 1977. She helps straighten teeth, take x-rays and records, and is the ZOOM whitening specialist. She enjoys this because everyone leaves that appointment with a brighter smile and more confidence. Kim enjoys playing games, especially card games. She also finds joy teaching Sunday school to 3 and 4 year olds at the Lititz Moravian Church. She loves chocolate, going camping and traveling. She is married to her husband Don and has two sons, Ryan and Jason, and an adorable grandson, Isaiah who was born on her birthday. She also has a precious white cat named Ivory who thinks she is a dog. Kim really enjoying getting to work with children at the clinic. It warms her heart to see a fearful patient blossom into a child who actually loves coming to the dentist. She loves her job because of the beautiful patients she meets every day, the intellectual colleagues she works with and the hugs that bless her.
Shannon is the orthodontic technician and dental assistant at LCPC. She did dental assisting at Lancaster County Career and Technology Center. Some of her responsibilities at the clinic include orthodontic and general dentistry assisting. Outside of the office Shannon enjoys skiing, reading and riding bike. She has been married for 13 years to her husband Josh and has an 11-year old son, Ethan, and a mini poodle named JoeJoe. She loves working at the clinic because she gets to help the patients from start to finish and see their transformations as they grow. She also loves getting to know the wonderful families as they go through their journey.
Pilar is the speech-language pathologist at LCPC. She holds her bachelor’s and master’s degree from Towson University. She was also the speech therapist with LCPC and early intervention for York and Adams County. She evaluates speech and language development as well as palate function as it relates to speech, and recommends appropriate interventions and strategies. Pilar enjoys being outside, spending time with family and friends and going to Target. She has been married to her husband for two and a half years and has a one year old son, Brooks, and a rescue pitbull named Peter. Pilar loves to help children be more understood by their family members and peers. She enjoys watching their confidence grow as she works together with their family and the team at the clinic.
Neishma is a registered dental hygienist at LCPC. She holds an Associates of Applied Health in Dental Hygiene MCCC. She is also a sterilization monitor. Neishma has over 12 years of experience, but has been specializing in pediatrics for the last five years. She loves traveling with her family. She enjoys her work at the clinic because her patients are unique. No matter what cranial facial defect or disability they are born with, they continue to live life to the fullest. She says she gets more from her patients than what she is able to give them. Neishma also feels that the team strives to provide a comfortable, stress free, educational, and rewarding experience for their patients.
Carolcleopatra is a dental assistant at LCPC. She graduated YTI’s dental assisting program and assisted in orthodontics, general dentistry, and is now pediatric. Her responsibilities include assisting pediatric dentist Dr. Prada Da Costa, as well as other general dentists. She is also the receptionist. Outside of work, Carolcleopatra loves being a mother and wife. She has been married for six years and has a six year old daughter. She also has interest in running a personal online store. She works at the clinic because she loves the dental field and the family friendly, focused ethic.
Suzanne graduated from Bucknell University, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelors of Arts in Spanish and History. She then earned a Master of Science in Social Work at Columbia University. She has worked in various medical and mental health settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, hospice, and community mental health clinics. As a team member, Suzanne offers emotional and logistical support to patients and families as they meet the challenges that cleft lips, palates and craniofacial differences may present. Suzanne loves living in her hometown of Lancaster with her husband, two children, and two pugs. She enjoys playing tennis, cooking, reading, and volunteering in the community. Her favorite part of the job is spending time with the great patient families and assisting Abbie Ellis with prenatal/prenatal consultations.
Leadership
Liz is the executive director and pediatric dentist at LCPC. As Executive Director, she works with the board of directors to oversee financial management, development, and fundraising at the clinic and works with the marketing and communications team. Outside of the office, Liz enjoys photography and traveling. She is married with two sons and a dog named Natasha. Her belief is that children are the future and that LCPC is helping them to reach their full potential in life. Her favorite memory here was seeing the clinic “graduates” finish team treatment and enter the world with their cleft care in the rearview mirror. She truly loves what she does because of the incredible team whose primary mission is to change and improve lives.
Susan is the director of operations at LCPC. She received her certificate in dental hygiene, a BS in Economics and a MS in Health Administration. She manages the ongoing operations of the clinic. Outside of her work at the clinic she enjoys skiing and playing golf as well as spending time with her three grandchildren. She works at the clinic because she believes in what they do and the changes they are making in children’s lives whether it is for the craniofacial patients or the special needs and underserved children.
David is the development director at LCPC. He received a BA in Speech Communication and Writing from Ithaca College, and his M.Ed. in English Education from Millersville University. His main responsibility is to help raise funds from individual, corporate and foundation donors. David enjoys studying local history and genealogy. He is grateful to have seen miracles happen for patients and their families through the extraordinary care and kindness of the clinical staff. He loves helping others and feels the clinic is a remarkable asset to the community and the whole region.
Administrative Staff
Rosemary has been an RN for over 40 years. She attends the clinic to support the Plastic Surgeons at Hershey Medical Center, helping to coordinate between the two institutions to ensure that all patient needs are met. Rosemary provides some pre-surgical teaching so families and their children feel prepared for surgery. Rosemary loves to travel and experience different lands and cultures. Rosemary has been married for 40 years, with one son that is engaged to be married next year. She works here because LCPC is one of the favorite places that she has ever worked in her long nursing career. She says, “The staff is very dedicated and goes out of their way to make sure patients receive the best care possible. The team approach is unique and an amazing way to take care of children and families.”
Kim is the billing coordinator at LCPC. She graduated from Solanco High School and took a course in medical coding and billing. She handles all of the medical billing and obtains pre-authorizations for dental surgery procedures and submits claims. She also issues monthly statements to guarantors. Kim loves hanging out with family and friends. She also enjoys dancing and watching movies. She is married with two wonderful children. Kim loves what she does because she can work behind the scenes, but still get to be a part of something that has such an impact on so many people.
Jacqueline is the purchaser and facility coordinator at LCPC. She studied at Millersville State College and some of her responsibilities include purchasing and scheduling services. She also works very closely with vendors to obtain the best pricing and quality products for the clinic. Jacqueline enjoys reading, antiquing, going to museums and attending live music events. She has been married for 40 years and has two adult children and one granddaughter.
Gail is the administrative assistant at LCPC. She previously attended business school. Her responsibilities include credentialing and other administrative work. Gail enjoys interior decorating, fashion, traveling and reading. Her family is her always and forever. She loves what she does at the clinic because of the spiritual guidance, privileges and challenges.
Brenda is the patient coordinator at LCPC. She welcomes patients with a smile and helps them check in. She also coordinates the teams schedule to make sure the kids are scheduled with the correct surgeon as well as other providers and performs other administrative duties. She enjoys spending a lot of time with her family. Brenda has been married for 29 years and has two wonderful children, Tom, a Lancaster city firefighter, and Jenn, a practice manager for a medical office. She also has two wonderful step-children, eight grandchildren and a brand new great grandson. She has worked at LCPC for 29 years. She loves what she does and loves dealing with the kids and their families. She will retire with many great memories and some that she will cherish forever. She has worked alongside many wonderful people who are like family and some whom have left a great impact.
Darla is the financial coordinator at LCPC. After graduating high school she went straight into the workforce. Her responsibilities include payroll, daily and monthly financial reports, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and 401K administrator. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, traveling and reading. Darla has two sons, three stepchildren, a husband (widowed and married again), three grandchildren and a cockapoo of 18 years that passed away eight months ago and is dearly missed. She started here part-time 30 years ago when her children were small and fell in love with what LCPC does as well as all the employees.
Andrea is our team administrator. She received a B.F.A. in Fine Arts and is responsible for dictations on team days, formulating team reports to send to PCPs and families, and processing medical records. She enjoys creative outlets that include writing, sketching, and sewing. Andrea has one fur child, a handsome senior german shepherd named Ace. She works at LCPC because of its renowned team care and collaboration.
Lexi is the team coordinator at LCPC. She completed the dental assisting program received a BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Lexi is in charge of team days and works side by side with Dr. Long and residents on the research. Lexi enjoys reading, playing board games, card games, watching documentaries, and kayaking. She is an aspiring plant mom and is getting ready to marry her favorite person on the planet, Kevin. She works at LCPC because she loves watching all the different staff members and specialties come together to collaborate on the best care and treatment plan for each patient. Both the staff and patients are one big community. She is humbled by the unique experience of being able to be a part of a child’s journey.