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WellSpan Health - Communities Working Together to Increase Access to Dental Care
Access to dental care for the uninsured and medical assistance patients was seriously lacking in York and Adams counties. WellSpan formed a task force in each county to address that and related issues. Composed of dentists, social service organizations, business community and government officials, each Oral Health Task Force has been meeting to raise awareness of oral health issues. It planned and conducted a Dental Summit attended by more than 120 dentists, hygienists, community activists, community health workers, nurses and legislators to raise awareness of oral health issues, such as the shortage of dentists, the number of dentists willing to offer a sliding-scale fee schedule, lack of dental insurance, financial and language barriers, and lack of fluoridation in the water supply.
What is it?
Access to dental care for the uninsured and medical assistance patients was seriously lacking in York and Adams counties. WellSpan formed a task force in each county to address that and related issues. Composed of dentists, social service organizations, business community and government officials, each Oral Health Task Force has been meeting to raise awareness of oral health issues. It planned and conducted a Dental Summit attended by more than 120 dentists, hygienists, community activists, community health workers, nurses and legislators to raise awareness of oral health issues, such as the shortage of dentists, the number of dentists willing to offer a sliding-scale fee schedule, lack of dental insurance, financial and language barriers, and lack of fluoridation in the water supply.
Who is it for?
Low-income and Medicaid-eligible families that reside in York and Adams counties.
Why do they do it?
The goal is to address the serious disparities in access to oral health care – especially for low-income populations – and to call attention to the importance of good oral hygiene and early dental care for children less than three years of age.
Impact
Various coalitions have brought about a new dental clinic with funding from multiple sources including a trust set up by an area dentist several years ago, the York Health Foundation (WellSpan’s fundraising arm), and a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Care is provided by a dentist and hygienist, 15 licensed, qualified community volunteer dentists or dental residents, and faculty dentists from the York Hospital Dental Residency Program.
Family First Health incorporated dental health expansion into its facilities plans. A federally funded healthy community’s grant enables eligible participants to obtain service at the Dental Center at York Hospital. Harrisburg Area Community College and Head Start created a dental clinic in a Head Start facility in Adams County for screenings, x-rays and dental education. Increasing numbers of dentists are accepting medical assistance patients.
Contact: Maria Royce
Vice President, Community Relations
Telephone: 717-851-3143
E-mail: mroyce@wellspan.org
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