State Farm Neighborhood Assist 2020 grant program names The Dental Clinic as winner
Med Center Health’s The Dental Clinic—a low cost alternative for those in need of basic dental care—has been named a winner of $25,000 through the State Farm Neighborhood Assist® grant for 2020. The grant program recognizes 40 organizations every year that have a positive impact on their communities.
“The Dental Clinic is truly a blessing to the people of Southcentral Kentucky who endure obstacles when accessing care,” says Josh Phillips, DMD, dentist with The Dental Clinic. “This grant money will enable us to expand our reach to underserved children in our community through mobile clinic screening events and help many parents comply with state rules for school enrollment.” While children have always been accepted at The Dental Clinic, mobile clinics remove some of the barriers created due to transportation issues or lack of knowledge of what services the clinic provides for kids.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky requires proof of a dental screening of examination by a dentist, dental hygienist, or other medical practitioner before a child can be enrolled in school. The Dental Clinic will partner with head start programs, elementary schools, and other non-profit groups in the region to host mobile screening events for children who will begin kindergarten. These mobile screening events will provide parents an opportunity to comply with state mandated requirements at no cost. It also will allow The Dental Clinic staff to share information about the importance of regular dentist visits and identify any concerns in the dental health of the children that they see. Should specific needs be identified, The Dental Clinic staff can make appointments to follow up at The Dental Clinic or refer them to pediatric dentists in the area.
“Through the years, residents and businesses of Southcentral Kentucky have generously donated to help patients at The Dental Clinic,” says Doris Thomas, Vice President of Development for Med Center Health. “Med Center Health would like to express our appreciation for everyone’s support and votes that allowed The Dental Clinic to win $25,000. This expansion of services will be a great benefit to those students who are about to start kindergarten.”
Part of Community Clinic, The Dental Clinic is a full-time clinic that provides low-cost dental care to qualifying patients without private pay dental insurance and who meet other Community Clinic guidelines for eligibility. The clinic is a place where patients who have withstood excruciating dental pain for extended periods of time can come and find relief—but it’s also a facility that provides a large patient population the opportunity for routine cleanings, exams, and restorative work that they could not otherwise afford in a traditional office setting.
The Dental Clinic is located at 740 East 10th Avenue in Bowling Green. For more information about Community Clinic and The Dental Clinic, visit MCHealth.Foundation.
