HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital – Dental Voucher Program

Effingham, IL
December 2017

Overview
HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital’s 2012 community health needs assessment survey results related to oral health and access to dental care indicated a critical need for adult emergency dental care. Of Effingham County respondents, 27 percent had not visited a dentist within the past year. Those at lower income levels were less likely to report having seen a dentist in the last year.

In April 2014, HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital partnered with Effingham Catholic Charities to create a Dental Voucher Program for adults 18 years and older who are underinsured or uninsured and in need of an emergency tooth extraction. Partnering with local dentists and an oral surgeon provided the ability to meet this identified need. Administered by Catholic Charities and funded by St. Anthony’s, residents of six area counties are eligible for the program.

The goal of the program is to increase access to emergency dental care and improve the oral health for the underserved in HSHS St. Anthony’s service area. The program facilitates access to the appropriate care for those individuals needing emergency tooth extraction. Catholic Charities works with eligible patients to cover expenses related to an initial exam and x-ray by a dentist, followed by a tooth extraction if necessary. Catholic Charities provides staff to administer the Dental Voucher Program, including income qualification, assistance scheduling appointments for clients, reimbursement of dental providers and mailing of client surveys.

Impact
From April 2014 through October 2017, the program has served 817 clients. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, data is collected from client surveys. Data from client surveys indicate that 90.7 percent of participants feel the program has made a “Moderate to Significant improvement” to their quality of life. Respondents also noted a decrease in missing work after receiving program services: 56.7 percent did not miss work, while 32.6 percent do not work or are on disability. St. Anthony’s Fiscal Year emergency room and Convenient Care data also indicates a slight decline in visits for oral health concerns since program implementation.

Lessons Learned
Initially the return rate of client surveys was low. In an effort to increase the return rate, modifications to the survey and its process were made. These changes include revising the survey language to a lower literacy rate and adding an incentive of a $5 grocery store gift card mailed to clients who return their survey.

Information regarding a low-cost program available at the local community college through its dental hygiene clinic has been provided to Catholic Charities staff for distribution to dental voucher program clients. This clinic offers low-cost preventive services and charges no fee for patients on Medicaid, ADC, or General Relief when valid cards are presented at the initial appointment.

Future Goals
St. Anthony’s plans to continue to offer the Dental Voucher Program to provide access to emergency dental care and to improve the oral health for the underserved in the hospital’s service area. Those qualifying for the program will find relief from the burden of paying for emergency, dental and oral surgery services when they cannot afford to do so.

Contact: Lisa Hoelscher
Community Benefit Specialist
Telephone: 217-347-1219
Email: lisa.hoelscher@hshs.org