Medicaid

Senior Dental Care Day
Date: January 13, 2017
Photo By: Dawn Jacobs

Do you know a senior or veteran needing dental care, but who doesn’t have insurance? Let them know about our Free Senior & Veteran Dental clinic! Registration is now open, call (253) 272-1101 to sign up for service. Participant must be a Pierce County Resident 55 years of age or older or a veteran of any age. Participant must not have dental insurance, Medicaid/Apple Health. participant must meet income guidelines and provide complete medical history.

Getting dental care can be difficult, but we’re here to help!

Dental Care Day

Dental Care Day

Pierce County Dental Society – Children’s Oral Health Day
Date: January 9, 2017
Photo By: Dawn Jacobs

It’s time for the Pierce County Dental Society’s 27th Annual Children’s Dental Health Day! 

The event is on Saturday, February 24th at 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM at the South Hill Mall in Puyallup.

There are tons of Free Activities for Kids!

  • Dental Goodie Bags
  • Face Painting
  • Dental Screenings for Anyone in the Family
  • Free and Low-cost referrals for those who qualify
  • Flouride Varnish Applications
  • Sports Mouthguards
  • Lives demos by “Chompy the Carrot”!
  • Table Clinics with Dental Health Education

Special Appearances from the Wisdom Tooth and the Tooth Fairy!!!

Event sponsored by the Pierce County Dental Society, Pierce County Dental Foundation and the Washington Dental Service Foundation

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project-homeless-connect-flyer_tacoma-armory-2016-10-26

According to Sound Outreach Services, “On any given night in Pierce County 2000 people experience homelessness. This number includes babies, children, teens, and adults. They are victims of domestic violence, people with disabilities, veterans, and senior citizens…Project Homeless Connect provides a starting place on the journey back to safety, stability, health, and hope. Project Homeless Connect reduces the duration of homelessness by providing services that address the basic needs; basic medical and dental care, access to education, employment and benefits systems, chemical dependency assessments, flu shots, haircuts, and much more – all under one roof!”

Please share news of this upcoming 10/26/16 event. To volunteer in the Dental Services area, contact pcds@pcdentists.org. Attendees interested in the dental services are encouraged to arrive early.

Event will be held once again at the Tacoma Armory in downtown Tacoma.

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Recent update on Washington Apple Health Dental Coverage

Date: March 10, 2016
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: ABCD, Adult Dental, Affordable Care Act, Health Care Authority, Medicaid, Oral Health Trends

WA Apple Health Dental Update Presentation 2016.03

On March 9, 2016, Pierce County Oral Health Coalition members and others convened to gain insight and updates on Washington State’s Apple Health (Medicaid) dental coverage for children and adults. In her presentation, Dianne Baum, Dental Program Administrator for Washington Apple Health shared: status and scope of dental benefits provided to our state’s residents who qualify for Apple Health benefits, state-wide Apple Health dental provider statistics, and important information on state provider audit programs and potential audit criteria and triggers.

Providers are responsible for checking the HCA website for updates. Washington’s Apple Health Dental Billing Guides are updated quarterly: January, April, July and October. There is a separate guide for the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (“ABCD”) program. Ms. Baum suggested signing up for “go-delivery” e-mails and visiting the Dental webpage.

An engaging question and answer session followed the presentation, focused primarily on preauthorization of dental services and other claims handling issues. Ms. Baum’s presentation included helpful links and contact information for providers. Apple Health clients will also find valuable information about their benefits on HCA’s “For Clients” page, including a current summary of adult dental benefits.

“This was incredibly helpful and specific information for dental billers, and nice to have additional Health Care Authority Apple Health resource information,” remarked one participant.

Presentation Handouts:

 

Coalition partners provide free dental care, education and resources

Date: August 10, 2015
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Adult Dental, Emergent Care, Medicaid, Oral Health Strategies, Uncategorized, Volunteer Dental Care
Welcome to the Clinic!
Dental Clinic in action
Amazing volunteer dental team!

A little community flyer goes a long way...

“We were so blessed to have received a flyer about the free dental clinic. These people really care enough to make sure that all would be served. The amazing staff worked together to help each member of the family. What an awesome experience for all!” (Pastor C.R. Adams, New Christ Temple of Deliverance, Tacoma, WA whose staff helped make appointments for and brought a new Pierce County family of four to the 7/31/15 clinic)

Arriving by bus, foot and carpool, over 20 Pierce County adults and some children had huge reason to smile after receiving compassionate, free dental services on Friday 7/31/15 at Bates Technical College’s Dental Assisting program facilities.  Via the wonderful Pierce County Dentists Care program, five Pierce County dentists and an entire team of Bates College’s dental assisting staff and students took x-rays, performed various dental services, alleviated dental pain and problems, and answered patient questions all the while demonstrating how this valuable downtown Tacoma clinic is a caring, oral health learning environment. Jennifer Bunch (Pierce County Dental Society) has coordinated the free dental clinics for years. She expertly welcomed and put each patient at ease, and then connected them to community resources for follow up care as necessary. As for that new Pierce County family of four…they have applied for Washington Apple Health coverage and are on a path to improved oral health.

For more information about the PC Dentist Care program (for uninsured Pierce County residents), call 253-272-1101 or if in dental pain, call 2-1-1 for a dental referral.

Dental community provides free dental care at March 2015 Project Homeless Connect

Date: April 30, 2015
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: ABCD, Adult Dental, Affordable Care Act, Chidren's Dental, Child Dental, Emergent Care, Medicaid, Oral Health Strategies, Uncategorized, Volunteer Dental Care

During the Spring Project Homeless Connect (PHC), the Pierce County Dental Society and Oral Health Coalition members combined talent and services at Puyallup Fairgrounds on March 31, 2015 to provide dental care to community members in need. Participating organizations include Bates and Clover Park Technical College Dental Assisting Schools, Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children, Medical Teams International, Pierce College Dental Hygiene School, and many other private dentists.

The dental section of the event provided $30,234 in donated dental care that included screening 67 individuals and treating 23 in the dental hygiene area. The Medical Teams International dental van, with its volunteer professional dental staff, provided twenty-three patients with additional treatment.  Dental service area volunteers also referred PHC patients for follow up exams and community resources. The Pierce County Dental Society wishes to acknowledge all the oral health volunteers, partners and community resources who worked together to help those in need of dental services. Photos of some of the wonderful dental volunteers are shown below!

Planning for the next Project Homeless Connect is underway for late summer-early Fall 2015. For those interested in volunteering in the dental services area, please contact Cheryl Jenkins at pcds@pcdentists.org.

Professional Dental Team Volunteers
Dental Services Check-In Volunteers
Dental Referral & Resource Volunteers