Oral health procedures to be covered by adult dental Medicaid starting in January

Date: December 13, 2013
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Adult Dental, Emergent Care, Medicaid

State health officials have released additional information concerning dental procedures that will be covered for Medicaid-eligible adults in Washington state, starting on Jan. 1, 2014.

An update on those procedures was recently shared at November meeting of the Washington Coalition on Medicaid Outreach by Dianne Baum, dental program manager for the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA). The covered procedures include exams, X-rays, cleanings, fluoride varnish, fillings, periodontal care, root canals, dentures, extractions, and emergency services. Crowns will not be covered.

See the presentation for more details and the HCA’s news release from Oct. 10, 2013.

Starting in January, the Washington Medicaid Program will resume covering dental services for all adults with Medicaid. This includes residents who already have Medicaid and people who are eligible for “expanded Medicaid,” made possible by federal health care reform.

State-wide program leads country helping low-income children

Date: December 2, 2013
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: ABCD, Child Dental, Medicaid, Oral Health Strategies

ABCD LogoKudos to Washington state. The Washington Dental Service Foundation (WDSF) reports the state has been recognized as a national leader in providing preventive dental care to young children from low-income families.

Statewide more than 54 percent of Medicaid-enrolled children under age 6 are currently receiving dental care, according to an announcement on Nov. 21, by the WDSF. The number of children accessing care has increased dramatically in large part because of the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) Program, which was recently expanded to every county in the state.

The ABCD Program has been serving children in Pierce County since 2005. More information about the ABCD Program in Pierce County can be found on the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department web site.

State Board of Health endorses seven oral health strategies

Date: November 21, 2013
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Oral Health Strategies
The State Board of Health Presented a graphic image of the multiple facets of oral health in a presentation made on Nov. 13, 2013.

The Washington State Board of Health presented a graphic image of the multiple facets of oral health in a presentation made on Nov. 13.

Following nearly two years of planning with state and national oral health experts, the Washington State Board of Health endorsed seven oral health strategies to improve the oral health of state residents. The board endorsed the proposals at its Nov. 13 meeting, following a detailed discussion of the strategies from state oral health experts.

The guidelines provide a foundation to guide the board’s policy development activities and encourage efforts that focus on oral health promotion, prevention, intervention, and treatment.

The board noted in its summary of the strategies that poor oral health is costly to the state and is associated with a range of problems that affect children, adults, and seniors. An estimated 51 million school hours are lost annually by children because of dental health problems, and dental complaints in 2010 were the No. 1 reason why uninsured adults visited the state’s hospital emergency rooms, racking up $36 million in costs over 18 months.

A copy of the seven strategies can be found on the board’s web site. A detailed presentation summarizing the strategies is also published. The strategies call for best-practice and evidence-based efforts focusing on the following areas:

  • Health systems
  • Community water fluoridation
  • Sealant programs
  • Interprofessional collaboration
  • Oral health literacy
  • Surveillance
  • Work force

Partners in Action at Project Homeless Connect, October 2013

Date: November 6, 2013
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Adult Dental, Emergent Care, Volunteer Dental Care

Pierce County Oral Health Coalition members returned to the Tacoma Dome on Oct. 23, 2013, to deliver oral health services to hundreds attending the recent Project Homeless Connect. Coalition members from a variety of Pierce County organizations, as well as individual dentists, volunteered their time to triage dental needs, provide oral health assessments, do cleanings, take X-rays, and offer restorative and  denture work, among other services. The majority of those who received services that day had unmet dental needs, received care to deal with urgent issues, and were referred to community resources for follow-up care as available.

Thank you to all of our oral health Partners in Action for their commitment to make oral health services accessible to all residents of Pierce County, and for volunteering their time and resources to events such as Project Homeless Connect.

Bates Free Dental Clinic – October 2013

Date: October 30, 2013
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Adult Dental, Volunteer Dental Care

 

On Friday, Oct. 25, the Bates Dental Assisting Program opened its dental clinic, as it has in the past, to provide free dental care to uninsured Pierce County residents. The clinic was held in partnership with the Pierce County Dental Society and its Pierce County Dentists Care program. Pierce County Oral Health Coalition members and Pierce County dentists donated their time and resources to provide oral health assessments, X-rays, cleanings, and basic restorative care to 45 grateful patients. More than one-third of those with appointments were referred by the Project Homeless Connect dental team.

More Partners in Action…

 

 

Project Homeless Connect providing dental and other services on Oct. 23

Date: October 21, 2013
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Adult Dental

Project Homeless Connect returns to the Tacoma Dome on Wednesday, Oct. 23, providing Pierce County residents a range of dental, medical, veterinary, social, and other services.

Those who are not able to be seen during the hours of service will receive resources for other services in the community. Past events have seen very high demand, so interested homeless individuals are encouraged to arrive early.

   What: Project Homeless Connect
   When: Wednesday, Oct. 23, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
   Where: Tacoma Dome, 2727 East D St, Tacoma, WA 98421

More information about Project Homeless Connect can be found on the organization’s web site and on its Facebook page. A flyer for the event may be downloaded here.

For more information: visit www.pchomelessconnect.com or send an email to coordinator@pchomelessconnect.com.