Exciting partnerships to improve oral health

Have you ever waited in a really long line? One that extends around a building, with say 3,999 people in front of you. That is the experience for many people trying to access oral health care services in Maine.

Many people have written about Maine’s oral health care problems. Our state simply does not have enough practicing dentists or hygienists – and those we do have are concentrated in the more populated southern and coastal areas.

At the same time, particularly in sparsely populated and, therefore, underserved parts of Maine, many residents remain unaware of how brushing, flossing and using fluoride contribute not only to their oral health but ultimately to their overall health.

In these challenging times, the importance of public-private collaboration is paramount. Since the Penobscot Community Health Center (PCHC) dental clinic opened last fall, we have registered approximately 4,000 people on a waiting list for oral health care services. With such a great need, collaborating with several organizations has been our No. 1 strategy to meet the needs of our community.

PCHC is Maine’s busiest community health center. We will provide over 50,000 medical, oral health, and counseling visits in the next 12 months to more than 15,000 people living in 38 cities and towns in the Bangor region. Many of these people have no health insurance, or are MaineCare or Medicare recipients.

The clinic was started based on the joint efforts of Penquis Community Action Program, the Penobscot Dental Access Coalition, the support of the Maine Office of Oral Health, many foundations, and Penobscot Community Health Center. Since then, further efforts to expand our collaborations have been successful and include the Maine Health Access Foundation, the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Bangor Savings Bank, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, The Betterment Fund, Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, Davis Family Foundation, Libra Foundation, Agnes Lindsay Trust, Northeast Delta Dental Foundation, St. Joseph Healthcare Foundation, Margaret Burnham Charitable Trust, Maine Community Foundation, Eastern Maine Charities, Penobscot Valley Health Association Fund and others.

Two collaborations are particularly exciting in terms of their long-term potential.

The Maine Health Access Foundation is collaborating with PCHC specifically to expand oral health services. With a grant of about $131,000, we have hired two more new dentists and four more dental hygienists, and installed three new dental chairs. We are in the process of reducing our waiting list, and serving those most in need in the Bangor region.

Another exciting partnership is with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield which has provided more than $500,000 in contributions to the development of “Miles for Smiles,” a mobile dental clinic. This program will be launched later this fall to provide comprehensive oral health services, including education, referrals and case management, to underserved Maine children in many rural communities. For many Maine children, “Miles for Smiles” will be the first time they have seen a dentist or hygienist.

We value our partnerships with these organizations, which allow us to continue and expand our mission of providing quality community health care services to all, regardless of their ability to pay.

In addition, the projects sustained by these and other partners are keeping the focus on the critical issues of building Maine’s oral health work force and bringing access to oral health services to all Maine citizens.

The Rev Robert T. Carlson is the chaplain of Husson College and president of the Board of Directors at Penobscot Community Health Center.