Control Gum Infection With A Laser Assisted Gum Therapy – PRLog (free press release)
PRLog (Press Release) – May 18, 2012 -
Elk Grove, CA, Have you experience? bleeding gums? How about gums that become red and swollen? Have you notice? persistent bad breath or bad taste? Loosing or separating teeth? Then your gums may not be healthy anymore. With the help of the Laser Assisted Gum care, all problems about your gums will lessen.
Gum disease is also known as periodontal disease. It is an infection of the tissues and bone that support the teeth. Gum disease is not likely to happen with old people alone as even teens can acquire gum disease. It can cause problems from the simply embarrassing to the more serious ones like pain and tooth loss. Untreated gum disease can turn out to be a very serious condition, and might cause teeth to become loose or fall out. Gums that are bleeding is a sign of unhealthy gums. The same is true when you try to press your finger against your gums and squeeze them up toward the teeth. If you see an unusual substance oozing out, it is also a sign of infected gums. Aside from bacteria, smoking can also worsen the condition of gum disease.
Good thing Dr. Tinney designed a non-surgical treatment for those who have gum disease. Unlike any other conventional gum therapy, laser assisted periodontal therapy can be considered as a successful treatment for controlling gum disease. Laser gum therapy destroys more pathogens than conventional root scraping. It also inhibits bacteria from increasing and detoxifies root surfaces, cementum and the inner lining of the gum pockets. Laser assisted perio therapy also performs these functions with no damage to any tissues found in your mouth. It also performs removal of? Root calculus easier and more efficient. The laser energy that is used in the therapy removes the outer layer of plaque which covers root calculus, and when the soft tissue lining of gum pockets are detoxified through the laser gum therapy, it has more chances for better healing. Laser gum therapy is effective at all stages of gum disease.
To know more about the laser assisted gum therapy and to have an idea of how you are going to
control your infected gums, visit http://www.dentist- elk-grove.com/ .
Categories: Info & News Tags: Assisted, Control, free, infection, Laser, press, PRLog, release, Therapy
ER doctors face a painkiller dilemma – Pioneer Press
Dr. Bruce Lobitz, an attending physician in the emergency department at Upstate Carolina Medical Center in Gaffney, S.C., sees about 10 patients a week complaining of toothaches. “The bane of our existence,” he said.
It’s not just that doctors like him lack the training and tools to solve dental problems. Many of these patients, he fears, complain of tooth pain as a ruse to get prescriptions for narcotics.
“Almost all dental patients request a prescription for narcotic pain pills,” Lobitz said. ” ‘I just need something to tide me over until I can see a dentist’ – that’s the classic line.”
Dental patients – mostly uninsured or indigent – are not unusual in hospital emergency rooms. Poor patients may forgo preventive care and delay treatment until they face a crisis. In many states, adult dental benefits under Medicaid, the government insurance program for the poor, have been scaled back or eliminated. And dentists often don’t accept Medicaid patients.
But emergency physicians like Lobitz cannot know whether someone who claims to be in agony from dental issues is telling the truth – or simply plans, he said, to “go to the next emergency room, next town over, and get another 30 Vicodin.”
The frequent prescription of narcotics in emergency departments for dental pain has been quantified for the first time by research financed by the National Institutes of Health, bringing to light another way opioids get into circulation and contribute to the rampant abuse
of painkillers in the United States.
From 1997-2007, painkillers were prescribed in three out of four visits to the emergency department for dental complaints; roughly half of visits resulted in a prescription for antibiotics, according to a new analysis of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey by Dr. Christopher Okunseri, a practicing dentist and an associate professor of public health at the Marquette University School of Dentistry in Milwaukee.
Over that period, the number of painkiller prescriptions for dental patients in emergency departments rose 26 percent, and antibiotic prescriptions jumped 41 percent, according to the report, published online in January in the journal Medical Care.
“E.D. doctors don’t have the training or expertise to provide definitive care, so the easy way out for them is medication,” Okunseri said. “If you’re not careful, you’ll create more addicts.”
In interviews, many emergency department doctors acknowledged that they write plenty of prescriptions for opioids for patients complaining of dental pain, but they feel they face a conundrum. “I admit that some people get drugs out of me who shouldn’t get them,” said Dr. Tom Benzoni, an emergency physician who has worked for 18 years at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
Yet some patients are genuinely in pain. “Do I deny them drugs so that one person doesn’t get a little more Vicodin?” he said. “It’s emptying the ocean with a teacup to try to address our societal drug problem.”
Time pressures and heavy patient loads leave doctors with few choices. “If your goal is to get people out of the emergency room, it’s about stabilizing and shipping out,” said Dr. Nathaniel Katz, the director of the nonprofit Program on Opioid Risk Management at the Tufts Health Care Institute. “What’s the easiest way to get patients shipped out? Write them a prescription for Vicodin. How long does that take?”
Relatively few emergency department workers are trained to give dental blocks, local anesthetic injections that offer immediate relief for 6 to 16 hours.
Before writing a prescription, few emergency doctors use drug-monitoring programs to see whether patients have recently been given painkillers.
Copyright 2012 TwinCities. All rights reserved.
Categories: Info & News Tags: dilemma, Doctors, face, painkiller, Pioneer, press
4 Qualities to Consider when Evaluating a Dental Malpractice Insurance Provider from the Professional Protector Plan for Dentists(R) – YAHOO!
PRWeb –
In today’s legal climate, even the finest dentist or professional is at risk of a malpractice claim. Choosing the right professional liability and business insurance program could save your practice. It is important to choose one that understands the specific malpractice risks unique to the specific field of practice and can help customize an insurance program to reduce the likelihood of a malpractice claim. Here are four qualities to look for in a liability and business insurance provider.
Tampa, FL (PRWEB) May 14, 2012
Excellent professional liability and business insurance coverage, knowledgeable agents, a financially strong insurance company, superior claims service and an expert risk management program, which includes continuing education courses are all qualities to look for in a dental malpractice or professional liability insurance program. The Professional Protector Plan for Dentists outlines some specific information to aide in the decision process of determining a good malpractice insurance program.
1. Financial Ratings – One important aspect of a company is its financial rating. Several industry-recognized companies provide ratings of insurance companies. A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s are the two major companies that issue these financial ratings. Both companies assess the financial strength and creditworthiness of risk-bearing entities and investment vehicles.
It can take years for a professional liability claim to arise, and even longer to resolve it. A client should be confident that its insurer will be a viable company and remain in business. Rated “A” excellent by A.M. Best and “A-“ by Standard & Poor’s.
2. Risk Management Program – When selecting a malpractice insurer, be certain the insurance company has a strong risk management program in place. Sound risk management and loss control procedures can be the most effective means of preventing malpractice claims and improving claims defensibility. A medical malpractice insurance provider should provide insureds with the tools they need to incorporate sound risk management practices and decrease the probability of a malpractice claim.
3. Quality Claim Services – Inevitably, one in ten dentists will experience a professional liability claim within their career. An even greater amount will experience an incident that could lead to a potential claim. Look for professionals experienced in managing professional liability claims – the law firms are chosen for their expertise in medical and dental professional liability defense.
4. Specialized Agents – Professional liability insurance agents should be extensively trained to analyze a practices specific needs and stage of professional career. An agent should also be an expert in the inherent risks and exposures for a specific state or region, so they can develop a customized, quality and comprehensive insurance policy to meet your specific needs.
About the Professional Protector Plan for Dentists
Through their network of specialized agents, the PPP has been serving dentists nationwide since 1969. This comprehensive program was developed specifically for the dental practice by providing insurance protection through professional liability, general liability, employment practice liability, workers’ compensation, and property insurance products. Underwritten by CNA, rated “A” (excellent) by AM Best for financial stability, the PPP has proven to be a stable force in the dental professional liability marketplace. The plan is offered in all states. For more information Dental Professional Liability Insurance and Risk Management Services for Dentists visit us online.
Kristin Garrison
The Professional Protector Plan for Dentists®
813.222.4242
Email Information
Categories: Info & News Tags: Consider, Dental, DentistsR, Evaluating, From, Insurance, Malpractice, Plan, Professional, Protector, Provider, Qualities, YAHOO
Visit to dentist ends with Syracuse man’s arrest – Syracuse Post-Standard
Syracuse, NY — A visit to the dentist ended with a Syracuse man going to jail Friday.
Jason Canada, 31, of 191 Walton St., went to the Syracuse Community Health Center on Oswego Street Friday afternoon complaining of a toothache.
After examining Canada, the dentist left him alone in the room, but returned after hearing sounds of someone “rummaging.”
According to a police report, the dentist found several drawers open and Canada holding numerous items belonging to the health center.
The dentist and staff at the health center asked Canada to open his backpack and found in it a blank prescription form.
Police arrived and found 10 glass vials of Marcaine and 15 glass vials of Lidocaine in the front pocket of Canada’s jeans. The medications, used by dentists to deaden pain, belonged to the health center, the dentist told police.
Also in the backpack was a folded paper with tan powder that a chemical test found was heroin, the police report said.
Canada told police he was using the heroin to treat pain from a old back injury and had the Marcaine and Lidocaine so he could self-medicate himself for the toothache.
He was taken to the Onondaga County Justice Center charged with petit larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Contact Charles McChesney at cmcchesney@syracuse.com.
Categories: Info & News Tags: arrest, dentist, Ends, man's, PostStandard, Syracuse, Visit
Dental Insurance In The Uk – 1UP.COM
There has been a long history of the field of dentistry in fact the first â??registeredâ?? dentist was Sir John Tomes round about 1878 and he is known as the father of British dentistry. Sir John Tomes had a very long and illustrious career plus he was a key player in getting dentistry accepted as a profession rather than a trade. Prior to this registration anyone could declare themselves a dentist and you would have had your teeth seen to by blacksmiths, barbers or even wig makers! Luckily the dentistry profession these days only has trained and certified individuals in it which is certainly good news for any person requiring a tooth out! Through the lifetime of Sir John Tomes there was no sort of dental insurance and any sort of treatment would only have been available to the wealthy I imagine.
There is simply no doubt that individuals with no dental insurance will probably visit the dentist less because they simply cannot afford it, but that might indicate they may be storing up big problems for the future. Any gum or tooth problems you neglect could become worse and in the end turn out to be fatal in some circumstances. If you don’t take care of your teeth it can cause gum disease and according to some research gum disease increases your chances of heart disease. The connection between heart and gum disease has been know for some time and research continues into this however the main idea would be that the excess bacteria in the mouth is released into the blood stream where it may cause infection round the heart area. The bottom line is looking after your teeth may possibly save your life.
Any dental work is pricey even at National health service prices the expense could be more than quite a few on lower earnings can afford and lot’s will not meet the criteria for totally free treatment. As dental insurance packages start out as little as five pounds is there any reason to not have some in place, when you consider that a couple of lots of National health service treatments such as crowns or tooth braces will still cost to the tune of £408. Paying out insurance premiums around eighty to one hundred pounds per year would actually save you a ton of money even on National health service rates. Plenty of plans are National health service treatment specific and they’ll usually ensure that you get 100% of your fees back. Private dental plans will set you back more and although you might only get fifty to eighty percent of your costs given back that can however be a substantial amount of cash on high priced treatment options.
Many of us do care for our teeth and gums and it is second nature to us, unfortunately if you take a peek around any high-street you will observe perfect instances of dreadful oral cleanliness on some individuals!It does not matter if you are solo or a couple with Two or three children, dental insurance may be a big money saver through a year. Caring for your teeth usually means seeing the dentist significantly less which will cost you a great deal less for treatment, so get those teeth brushed, flossed and rinsed with mouthwash and help save your life and some cash!
Dental Insurance Plans Best Individual
Categories: Info & News Tags: 1UP.COM, Dental, Insurance
Teeth Whitening Products That Let People Keep The Caffeine: Safe And Affordable Whitening Systems Available For Customers On A Budget – PR Leap
(PRLEAP.COM) (London, United Kingdom) April 29, 2012 – Our teeth our commonly stained by some of our favorite foods and beverages: tea, coffee, red wine and foods high in sugar. Fortunately, thanks to various types of teeth whitening systems people can now safely whiten their smiles without giving up their favorite treats. Mega Teeth Whitening is the premiere online source for people looking to safely and affordably whiten their teeth, offering professional reviews on all of the latest systems including: Smile 4 You, Botanical White and dental white.
MegaTeethWhitening is offering consumers a one-stop-shop for people interested in safely and affordably improving the quality of their smile, so they can continue to enjoy the things they love without sacrificing the things they love. MetaTeethWhiting.co.uk has reviewed the products and offers customers information on the products they purchase, including the top rated Smile 4 You.
“The Smile 4 You, Botanical White, and Dental White systems are just some of the whitening products you can find in the market. There are many brands, but you can’t be sure that all brands are safe and effective. It helps to have someone do some checking,” said Desislav Kuzmanov, the owner of the website. “The products I supply customers with are ideal for busy individuals who may have a limited budget,” he went on to say.
There are several reasons to consider teeth whitening. Very few people have perfectly brilliant white teeth, and it’s natural for teeth to become discolored as people age. Tooth whitening can be a very effective way of lightening the natural color of teeth without removing any of the tooth’s surface. Customers can’t expect a complete transformation to their smile, but it’s a more affordable way to continue enjoying the things they love without scarifying a white smile.
Categories: Info & News Tags: Affordable, Available, Budget, caffeine., Customers, Keep, Leap, People, Products, Safe, Systems, Teeth, Whitening
Doctors find ‘sick’ Air India pilots missing from home – Hindustan Times
Air India pilots who called in sick and have not reported to work for a week, were not found at home by doctors sent by the airline; nor have they reported to the doctors empanelled by the national carrier. According to the medical summary accessed by Hindustan Times, 48 of the 53
Delhi-based crew who reported sick weren’t at home, or their residences were locked and their mobiles unreachable.
Eighteen outstation pilots were examined at Hotel Hyatt, most complaining of bad stomach and backache. They were found medically fit.
The aviation ministry’s medical summary makes for interesting reading — there appears to be a sudden epidemic in Air India’s pilot community, with 9 of the 18 outstation pilots complaining of bad stomach.
Not one of the nine was found dehydrated.
The doctors’ comments for all read: “Vitals stable, hydration fair”. Similarly, two pilots complained of toothache but the doctors found “no swelling”.
Backache suddenly appeared to have become fashionable. Four pilots complained of lower backache. While one pilot’s report read, “forward bending painful”, the remaining three were found to have a “normal gait”.
Of the 53 homes visited by doctors, 12 were found locked. When doors were opened, the medical teams were given unclear information.
One pilot’s mother said her son was at the doctor’s with a bad stomach, but she didn’t know where. Another’s brother said the pilot had gone to the doctor but wasn’t sure for what, and the pilot’s phone too was unreachable.
Only five of the 53 Delhi-based pilots, who had called in sick, were found to have genuine grounds for staying off work.
Aviation minister Ajit Singh, who had told this paper that it would be difficult to take back pilots sacked for striking work, is said to have been angered even more with this report of “sham illnesses”, ministry officials said.
Categories: Info & News Tags: Doctors, Find, From, Hindustan, Home, India, Missing, pilots, Times, ‘sick’
Toothache? Feel the pain in your wallet as well if your boss decides to cut health perks – Daily Telegraph
Reality bites: the globally mobile should ensure that potentially costly dental work is covered by their company’s insurance policy Photo: Alamy
Hard-pressed international companies are discovering new ways to push costs on
to overseas staff.
Usually, burden-sharing between employer and employee amounts to a pay freeze
or the loss of a company car. Another ruse is to save on rent, moving
operations to a windowless box-room in the Styx.
Consultants Mercer recently reported a subtler idea, following a survey of
multinationals. It found that the inexorable rise in global health care
costs was forcing employers to trim insurance cover for staff.
Mercer said the global financial crisis had left companies “questioning
the feasibility of health benefit schemes …some benefits, such as private
medical cover, may even become uninsurable”. A simple saving would be
to dispense with dental cover, for example, leaving workers to pay their
dentists themselves.
But another possibility could prove more alarming. When companies renew annual
group cover for overseas staff, a well-established economy is to opt for an
excess (or deductible) on the same principle as car cover.
If the employee can be persuaded, as part of an employment contract, to pay
any excess on receiving treatment, the company HR manager will have achieved
a small coup.
According to Stuart Scullion, managing director of brokers The
Private Health Partnership, in Shipley, West Yorkshire, the
potential for savings is considerable. A group of thirtysomethings in
reasonable health could expect a reduction of 25-30 per cent in their
premium for an annual excess of £500.
Annual excesses are the norm in international insurance. However, a £500
excess per claim (as with motor cover) would slash the premium much further.
Even so, Mr Scullion has doubts about fairness when excesses of any type are
applied to employees sent abroad on assignment. He said: “If the
employer needs someone to go abroad as a business need for a period, almost
irrespective of duration, that company should be paying for it.
“Although there is an ever-increasing cost, one of the things about
international insurance is that you almost have to have cover for everything.”
For example, a UK-based employee suffering a chronic illness might find that
condition excluded in a group scheme. This need not be as disadvantageous as
it looks – maintenance of chronic disease, such as diabetes, is an area in
which the NHS is well rated.
Mr Scullion explained: “If you send someone to the other side of the
world and they are taken ill, even if it is a pre-existing condition, they
need to have maintenance of the condition in the local jurisdiction. It
changes the risk profile to the insurer so they will pick up costs which in
the UK they typically wouldn’t.
“It seems a bit unfair to say to an employee, ‘We need you to go and work
abroad but to contain costs we are going to take a £1,000 excess on your
policy.’ It may be that they say, ‘We’ll take an excess to reduce the cost
of the premium, but we’ll reimburse it so you, the individual, won’t pay
it.’ That might be appealing.”
Mr Scullion added: “But it wouldn’t be particularly fair to say to the
individual to take the excess if he is abroad at the company’s behest.”
Even so, certain expat employees with company-paid cover do enjoy a big
advantage. If they are located in countries where foreign nationals escape
tax, they would not pay tax on health cover either. They get the “benefit
in kind” tax-free. So the large international community in the United
Arab Emirates, for instance, is getting a free perk on top of untaxed
income.
Sue Bailey, head of schools and expats at Reading-based brokers JBI,
pointed out that US citizens would not be so lucky. “America taxes its
citizens worldwide. Wherever you are, you are liable to make a return to the
IRS [Internal Revenue Service].
“As far as Britons and HMRC are concerned, once you are ordinarily
non-resident you don’t pay tax on your income and therefore not on health
cover.”
But the UAE tax-free scenario is far from universal and expat Britons
elsewhere face paying local taxes and possibly tax on benefits – every
country is different, she said.
Mrs Bailey said that since the banking crisis of 2008, pressures had mounted
to reduce corporate health costs. Employers were reducing cover or seeking
burden-sharing arrangements with staff in response.
“People are trying to get best value for money. They always do that, but
when there’s not much money going around they try harder still.”
Meanwhile, any Britons abroad with company-bought health cover – the majority
– could thank their lucky stars that they are not buying insurance as
individuals, because it is considerably more expensive. HR managers are well
placed to play the market and usually have the expertise to find the best
deal.
An added cost-saving measure is to take claims-handling in-house. This not
only saves on the premium because the insurer is spared bureaucracy, but
also reduces insurance premium tax (IPT).
IPT is currently 6 per cent in the UK, against a European average of 9 per
cent. The trend, like international and domestic medical insurance itself,
is ever upwards. Rates are to hit a colossal 24 per cent IPT in Finland next
year. No wonder employers are seeking to economise.
This article was published in The
Telegraph Weekly World Edition
Categories: Info & News Tags: boss, Daily, decides, Feel, health, Pain, perks, Telegraph, Toothache, wallet, Well
New Dental Marketing Websites From IDA Boost The Trust Factor To Get New Patients – YAHOO!
PRWeb –
New dental marketing websites from Internet Dental Alliance offer several trust-enhancing features that make it comfortable for new patients to set appointments online.
(PRWEB) May 09, 2012
New dental marketing websites from Internet Dental Alliance, Inc. (IDA) offer several options for dentists to connect with prospective patients online in ways that encourage them to set appointments. For example, IDA’s New Patient Portals feature an optional “Family Album” page where dentists can display photos that give site visitors a closer look at the people behind the dental team uniforms.
Effective dental websites face at least two challenges when it comes to generating leads. First, as with any marketing website, there is the issue of conversions. It’s not enough just to draw traffic to the site. The site and content must be skillfully designed so that visitors willingly take action by calling the dental office or filling out the online appointment form. Second, a dental website must go even further by establishing additional trust that the staff and treatments will be pleasant and pain-free. Visual features such as the “Family Album” page can convey warmth and evoke trust in ways that words just can’t.
“Features that boost conversions — like the “Family Album” page — are included in all of IDA’s Portals and are super-simple to set up,” says Jim Du Molin, founder of Internet Dental Alliance, Inc. and dental marketing expert. ““The Portals provide dentists with everything they need to maximize online lead generation for their practices and get more patients.”
On the “Family Album” page, dentists can showcase more details about themselves, their team, their family, their pets, their hobbies, and their favorite charities – whatever they want. The page can be set up on the practice’s Web Portal within a few minutes by uploading the desired photos in the online Control Panel. IDA cautions that the doctor must obtain written consent from any friends or patients included in the photos. IDA provides a downloadable consent form to make the consent process easy.
About Internet Dental Alliance, Inc.
IDA is North America’s largest provider of websites for dentists, email patient newsletters and dental directories. In 2012, it completed its cutting-edge dentist marketing Lead Fire lead generation system. Based on organic geo-targeted local search strategy which is customized for each dental office, LeadFire technology automates search engine optimization, and makes it possible to generate new patient leads within minutes of setting up the system. Internet Dental Alliance provides dental practices with online dental marketing services such as dental practice websites, website design, online newsletters, find-a-dentist websites, and other dental advertising advice and resources.
Julie Frey
Internet Dental Alliance
888-476-4886
Email Information
Categories: Info & News Tags: boost, Dental, Factor, From, Marketing, Patients, Trust, Websites, YAHOO
$3.4 million in federal money to boost Utah health clinics – ksl.com
SALT LAKE CITY — Dani North always expected to lose all her teeth by age 40. It happened to her mother and she figured it would happen to her.
“It is a challenge I’ve faced all of my life. We never had any money for dental care,” she said. “It is the hardest medical service to obtain and insurances almost never cover anything dental-related.”
The 28-year-old recovering addict is looking for a job and feels self-conscious about the condition of her smile. When tooth pain took her to a doctor a month ago, North opted for extraction rather than handle a potentially difficult situation that would occur with her taking the prescribed narcotic pain medication.
“When your health is not right, how do you get a new start?” she said. And she’s not alone. There are hundreds within the homeless population of Utah who are in need of dental care and have nowhere to turn.
“People who don’t have access to dental care and have a bad tooth are desperate for some kind of help,” said Dr. Scott Youngquist, an emergency physician at University Hospital. “If the doors to dental care are closed to them, they know the one place they can go to at least get some pain relief is the emergency department.”
For many Americans, community health centers are the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment of chronic diseases.
–Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
Patients come to the emergency department with dental problems on a daily basis, he said, often tying up staff with non-emergency issues. Left untreated, tooth problems can lead to head and neck infections, as well as heart problems, which are more serious and can require more costly treatment measures.
“What could have been treated early and in a relatively straightforward fashion has now become a very expensive disease for health care in general, for Medicare and Medicaid, and for all of us,” Youngquist said.
Ultimately, many without access to proper dental care end up getting multiple teeth extracted.
Christina Gallop, medical director at the Fourth Street Clinic, said dental issues affect individuals not only physically, but mentally and socially as well, as there is a stigma associated with having no teeth.
“I think people underestimate how poor dentition can affect you,” she said, adding that bad teeth can signal poor nutrition, drug problems and other issues. She said 60 percent of the population served at the clinic “could use denture help.”
Sidney Shipman, 50, is one of them. A regular at the clinic, he hasn’t had teeth for five years.
“I can’t eat, I have no way of eating, no way of chewing and I have to swallow my food whole,” he said. Shipman moved from Powell, Wyo., six years ago because Salt Lake offers “better services for the homeless.”
He looks forward to a day when he can ditch the liquid diet and actually smile again.
Tuesday, the Fourth Street Clinic received news it would be getting a $ 2.9 million Affordable Care Act capital development grant to expand services and serve more patients.
Construction is slated to begin in August and will be completed sometime in March. Officials estimate they’ll be able to serve an additional 1,000 patients ever year.
“I am just smiling,” said executive director Kristy Chambers. “It is exciting to see that we have the potential to really fulfill some of these demands.”
The nonprofit clinic will double its size, adding three dental exam rooms and an area designated for enhanced substance abuse treatment, as well as a waiting room for the existing pharmacy. The facility will also get much-needed mechanical and seismic upgrades throughout.
As it stands, Fourth Street offers no dental services and can only cover the cost of extremely serious conditions, up to $ 25,000 of its total budget each year. All dental services are performed outside the clinic, by partnering dentists within the community.
One of those partners, Salt Lake Donated Dental Services, provides free or low-cost services to those meeting eligibility requirements. But they can’t meet the need alone. In 2009, the organization performed 12,144 procedures, the majority of which were basic preventive or restorative measures. More than 32 percent of the procedures, however, were extractions and patients received an average of four procedures per visit, according to a Donated Dental Web page.
The new grant, which will cover only construction and supplies for the Fourth Street Clinic, is part of more than $ 728 million doled out across the United States to support renovation and construction projects, boost health centers’ ability to care for additional patients and create jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Mountainlands Community Health Center in Payson also received $ 500,000 to purchase additional supplies and help get more patients in the door.
“For many Americans, community health centers are the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment of chronic diseases,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement. “This investment will expand our ability to provide high-quality care to millions of people while supporting good paying jobs in communities across the country.”
According to a report released Tuesday, the health care law has supported the construction, renovation and building of 257 health centers nationwide. The influx of funding is estimated to provide access to an additional 860,000 patients in need.
“This will definitely be a step in the right direction as far as moving people out of the ER,” Youngquist said.
Twenty-two jobs will be supported during the projected eight months of construction at the clinic. The clinic will then be in need of dentists to provide care to those in need. An agreement is in the works for students at Utah’s two dental schools, Roseman University and the University of Utah, to provide some of the work, leaving the eight full-time medical providers at the clinic to handle more patients.
Wendy Leonard
Wendy Leonard works as a reporter for the Deseret News, and while her daily duties are dictated by breaking news, she currently focuses on writing about issues involving health care, medicine and transportation. Full Bio �