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Friday, July 03, 2009 8:06 AM Dental grant will expand rural care By Janet Conner-Knox | Times Staff Writer A new grant will allow low-income residents of Wilson, Nash and Edgecombe counties get better dental care. Carolina Family Health Centers, which is located on Green Street, will get $100,000 over the next three years to add two full-time dental hygienists, improve salaries for its current staff and do additional community outreach and education. The $300,000 grant comes from the Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission, a commission formed by the General Assembly to promote health and wellness in North Carolina. The two new dental hygienists will be located in the clinic's Freedom Hill Community office in Edgecombe County and the Harvest Family Health Center in Nash County. Dee Johnson, executive director of Carolina Family Health Centers, said there will be special focus on patients who have chronic diseases. "Research points to links between chronic oral infections and diabetes, strokes, premature births, heart and lung disease," Johnson said. "Those with a compromised immune status are subject to opportunist infections of the mouth and a higher incidence of oral precancerous lesions and cancer." Johnson said dental services will continue to be provided at all three health centers on a sliding scale basis, so its charges are income based. Carolina Family Health Centers serves uninsured people and those who live at or below 200 percent of poverty line. The grant is one of seven grants totaling $1.9 million that were awarded statewide as part of the trust fund's Oral Health Initiative. The initiative hopes to increase access to treatment and preventive services for low-income, high-need populations. "It is unfortunate that many North Carolina citizens do not receive basic dental care which is so critical for overall good health," said Vandana Shah, the trust fund's executive director. "We hope that these grant funds will provide more North Carolina citizens with access to high quality, accessible oral health care." In 2006, about 32 percent of N.C. adults reported that they did not see a dentist within a year. The percentages were higher among Native Americans (39 percent), African-Americans (42 percent) and Hispanics (56 percent). Many residents of rural areas have limited or no access to dental care. Based on 2004 data, 60 N.C. counties, including Wilson, were considered dental health shortage areas. Carolina Family Health Centers serves areas where 70 percent of the population is uninsured. The Wilson clinic opened in 1994 to offer health services to underserved communities. It added dental services in 2005 when it opened its Green Street location. janet@wilsontimes.com | 265-7847 |
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