Waldo County Dental Care has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Maine Women’s Fund: “To help vulnerable Waldo County women improve their health, wellness and economic security by providing timely dental care, oral health education and referrals for community support services.”
The dental clinic has been providing dental care to low income residents since 2013. More than 50% of the patients treated last year had not been to a dentist in five years or more. In 2015, 177 women visited the hospital’s emergency department for dental pain. The emergency department is able to provide short-term relief but in most cases the pain and infection returned. Tooth decay and infection have long lasting impacts on health, self-esteem and employability and
untreated can lead to more serious health problems, including premature births and chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
Currently, there is a five-month waiting list for new patients at the clinic. Even with an expansion in the clinic last December, the need far exceeds the capacity, so a priority list was established. The four priority criteria are:
• Have a co-occurring medical condition that is compromised by dental infection, such as diabetes
• Be pregnant. Maine is one of only 10 states that does not provide dental care to pregnant women through Medicaid. Tooth decay and gum disease during pregnancy are linked to low birth-weight babies and pre-term birth
• Be a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault. Many of these women have never had access to dental care and have damaged or knocked out teeth
• Need dental care to secure or improve employment, including those transitioning off Temporary Aid for Needy Families.
Beginning in June 2016, the clinic will serve as a clinical work site for fourth-year dental students from the College of Denistry at the University of New England allowing 16 additional appointments each week. These expanded slots will be set aside for emergency and priority care appointments.