Smileland Pediatric Dentistry is located in 9 West Plaza.
By Susan Gonsalves, Contributing Writer
WESTBOROUGH – The Westborough Economic Development Committee recently approved a $5,000 grant for Smileland Pediatric Dentistry to expand its business by adding a nitrous system to help treat patients.
The business is located in 9 West Plaza, where a prior dental establishment was previously housed.
Member Fred Lonardo also explained that the site is on the corner of Lyman Street and Route 9, where a mattress place used to be.
Owner Dmitry Burshteyn said that the dentists at Smileland are specialists who have completed two or three more years of study. He said that some young patients need additional levels of sedation in order to be treated. The same is true for special needs adults who will also be accepted as patients.
Burshteyn said the total investment is around $40,000. The nitrous has to be retrofitted into the fully pumped system, which allows it to reach every room. The business will also be adding another sprinkler at the request of the fire department, he said.
Economic Development Coordinator Zach Boughner said that the application falls into the acceptable uses to receive a grant. Lonardo said that, by adding the system, the business is expanding its use and opening up services for more clientele.
The committee also reviewed an application from Dairy Queen, asking to revise how a previous EDC grant is used.
Boughner said that Dairy Queen’s original grant, awarded in December 2019, was to buy a freezer, tables and landscaping services. The owner came back in August 2020 to change the use to a point-of-sale system. They also wanted to use unspent money amounting to $3,788 for picnic tables for outdoor dining.
The latest request indicates that those tables were not purchased because the owner said that, in light of the pandemic, they wanted to avoid people congregating and allow for social distancing.
Reading from a statement by the owner, Boughner noted that the request now under consideration seeks to divert the money and use it for plantings, trimmings and painting around the Dairy Queen building.
Following discussion, the board advised Boughner to go back and ask the owner to reconsider buying picnic tables because COVID-19 restrictions are lifting.
Members were against using funds for a paint job, which is considered general maintenance and doesn’t fall under the grant criteria.
“How does it generate more business?” Lonardo asked. “It’s not a good transfer of money.”
EDC Chair Bonnie Sullivan encouraged Boughner and other board members to work with the owner and come up with a more suitable plan. She said, like nearby Hudson, Westborough should encourage the revitalization of downtown to become more of “an attractive destination.”
Member Pete Allen suggested now that pandemic restrictions have been lifted, picnic tables could be “back on the table.”
“The tables would encourage more business because there is very little room to stay once you get your ice cream,” he said. “This would encourage people to stay and have a good time.”
The EDC will look at a revised proposal at a later date.
