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Our History

We are a private group practice of five board certified general pediatricians located in suburban Maryland. We care for patients from birth through adolescence and young adulthood. We are dedicated to providing quality medical services in a caring and compassionate environment, and we strive to form long lasting relationships with our patients and their families.

 

Doctors Donald Wiczer and William Sterling, who had served as pediatric residents together at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, formed a private practice in Bethesda, MD, in 1965. The practice grew and relocated several times over the years, but this partnership began the association that would evolve into what is known as Bethesda Pediatrics today.  Dr. George Korengold joined the group in 1975 when it was located in the Wildwood Medical Center on Old Georgetown Road.  In 1992 our office moved to the Champlain Building on Rockledge Drive, where Dr. Vanessa Mayol and Dr. Hilary Light-Deutsch joined in 1994.  Dr. Monika Walters came aboard in 1995 when Dr. Sterling retired, and Dr. Carl Gatto joined the roster in 2000. Dr. Wiczer eventually retired in 2001 after more than 40 years in practice.  Dr. Korengold retired on November 30, 2016, after more than 40 years at Bethesda Pediatrics as well.   Dr. Mayol will be retiring in October, 2023 after more than 30 years with Bethesda Pediatrics.  We welcomed Dr. Lourdes Gonzalez to our team in January, 2023.  Read more about our providers here.

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It was in the 1990's that the group came to be known and incorporated as "Bethesda Pediatrics." When we made our most recent move in 2003 to our current location in the Mall office building at Cabin John Village, we technically crossed over into Potomac, MD, but decided to retain the name that people have come to know and respect all these years. We are proud of our custom designed and built office suite and are thrilled to be located in such a family friendly location. Cabin John Village contains a pharmacy, several children's specialty stores, many dining options, and ample free parking.  Cabin John Village has undergone an amazing redevelopment in the time we've been here, and we are happy to say that we will be staying in this community for the long term.

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Our group consists of all licensed and board certified general pediatricians. Each physician may have a different background or area of interest, but we function as a cohesive group. While most patients' families choose a primary care provider within the group for routine well visits, the other physicians are all available to help you on nights, weekends, or other days when your primary doctor is unavailable. We provide a full spectrum of medical care (see services). Our patients range in age from newborns through adolescence and young adulthood, generally transitioning to adult care upon the completion of high school or their first year of college.

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We are honored to be entrusted with the care of your family and are here to help guide you in the process of raising happy and healthy children. Please don't hesitate to call on us with any questions or concerns!

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