Chief DENTAL Officer

Since 2014, Dr. Lucia Covato, DMD, has dedicated her career to making quality, compassionate dental care accessible to thousands of residents across Pittsburgh’s Northside. Since joining the North Side Christian Health Center (NSCHC) in 2011, she built the Health Center’s dental program from the ground up—starting with a modest two-operatory setup and expanding it into a thriving four-operatory facility in 2020 that effectively doubled the Health Center's capacity to serve the community.

Throughout her tenure, Dr. Covato has maintained a focus on high-need, at-risk, and underserved populations. She has partnered with local homeless shelters and recovery residences to care for individuals in transition, continuously finding creative solutions to help patients overcome financial and structural barriers to care. Her commitment to reach those most in need was further highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she led efforts to deliver vital dental services directly to residents at NSCHC’s satellite clinic in Northview Heights.

Beyond clinical care, Dr. Covato is a strong advocate for whole-person wellness. She has championed NSCHC’s Quality and Risk Committees and pioneered the integration of medical, dental, and behavioral health services, establishing cross-disciplinary screening as a standard of care. Known by colleagues as a dedicated mentor and by patients for her gentle, patient-first approach, she has earned the trust of local families across generations while emphasizing oral health prevention, education, and community outreach.

Dr. Covato’s leadership and clinical excellence have been recognized locally and nationally:

• 2026 Leader of the Year, awarded via nomination by the staff at NSCHC.

• 2021 APEX Award for Outstanding Primary Care Clinician, presented by the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC) for her service to vulnerable populations.

• 2014 Outstanding Clinician Award, presented by the National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA).

In addition to her role at NSCHC, Dr. Covato contributes her expertise to the broader dental field through service on the United Concordia Dental Advisory Committee, the Gateway Community Advisory Committee, and a local college Dental Advisory Board.