A Ridge Avenue dentist got permission from the city's zoning board to expand his practice at a meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Dr. Allan Samuels, who operates a dental practice at the corner of Ridge Avenue and Cheswick Road in Roxborough, appeared before the board to request permission to expand his practice to the entire first floor of the residential building in which he operates.

According to Meredith Shafer, attorney for Dr. Samuels, allowing for the expansion will let Dr. Saumels update his practice.

"This will allow for updated technology, an additional treatment room and more room for patients," she said to the board.

The zoning board also approved requests to remove a previous limit on number of employees allowed at the site, as well as a provision that required Dr. Samuels to live on the premises of his practice.

Samuels said that he could increase the number of employees at his practice from two to as many as seven, and that he would use the second-floor apartment as a potential apartment for rent.

"This request will allow for modern day dentistry," Shafer said. "This is not just to remove a living requirement, but to expand the very use of the office.

Under the zoning request, Dr.Samules said he would keep his practice's former hours.

The zoning board unanimously approved the application.