Gregory Maddalena, DDS ’05, GPR ’06, chief dental officer for Sun River Health in New Paltz, New York, the largest network of oral health Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in the state, is the 2025 recipient of the School of Dental Medicine’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
Maddalena was presented the award by Stacy Reisfeld, DDS ’88, president of the SDM’s alumni chapter, at the Class of 2028 White Coat Ceremony, held at Stony Brook University’s Student Activities Center.
“I am honored and humbled to receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine, which gave me a strong foundation to provide high-quality care to high-needs patients,” Maddalena said. “This is so essential in New York State, where nearly half of the 62 counties face full or partial dental care shortages, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. I hope to inspire the next generation of dentists to innovate in addressing this crisis, and I’m glad Stony Brook is partnering with health centers to expose students to this critical area of practice.”
“We are proud to honor Dr. Maddalena with this year’s Distinguished Alumnus Award,” added Patrick Lloyd, dean of the School of Dental Medicine. “Through providing comprehensive oral healthcare services, particularly in areas with a shortage of dental health professionals, he and his colleagues at Sun River Health continue to make an indelible mark on patients throughout the Hudson Valley, New York City and here on Long Island.”
Maddalena earned his Bachelor of Science from Binghamton University prior to arriving at Stony Brook. Since graduating with his DDS degree, he went on to private practice in New York and New Hampshire, and much of his service has centered around providing care for underserved populations, beginning with his care of farm workers on the east end of Long Island. It continued when he and his wife, Amy Angiolillo, MD ’05, relocated to the Hudson Valley, where at Sun River Health he began to care for a wide range of patients, including workers at the local apple farms.
In 2020, he took over as the organization’s chief dental officer, overseeing 24 dental offices throughout southeastern New York, including in his primary office in New Paltz. The majority of the patients he and his staff visit with earn below the federal poverty line, yet he shared with the audience how fulfilling – and important – the care he provides.
“Our model allows us to treat patients who would otherwise have no access to care. Fees are based on income, and suddenly, I found myself empowered—able to offer care without barriers, and to restore health and dignity,” he said.
In a recent interview with On the Cusp® magazine, he stated, “[The work we do can be] the difference between somebody going out for a job interview versus avoiding it because they have no front teeth. But we can fix their dental issues and then we empower them to go back out into the world and get a job. The reward you get is feeling like you’re making a difference in somebody’s life. To me that’s what working in community health is all about.”
In his keynote address, Maddalena implored his alma mater’s first-year students to remind themselves of reaching their goals but also fulfilling those of communities in need of care the most.
“Today, you’ve already achieved so much,” Maddalena said. “You’ve earned your place in one of the nation’s most elite dental programs. Your future is full of promise, and your success is almost assured—thanks to the academic and clinical excellence of this school. But I encourage you to look ahead and ask ‘How can I make a difference?’ Because someone out there desperately needs the care that only you will be able to provide.”
