This article is part of health condition, a series examining integrated care and its potential to improve the health of Michigan’s people. This is made possible with funding from. michigan health foundation.
Dental health is more than just preventing cavities. Michigan health care providers are increasingly recognizing this by incorporating dental care into their primary care practices.
“Long-term studies show that people with periodontal disease are more likely to have premature births, low birth weights, and heart disease. Tooth loss is a risk for coronary artery disease and is associated with diabetes. Cardiovascular The disease is associated with periodontal disease,” says Dr. Timothy Hill. cherry healthDirector of Dental Services and Interim Chief Oral Health Officer. “The reality is that dental care is important for managing your overall health, not just for toothaches or eating difficulties.”
Timothy Hill.
The negative effects of poor oral health extend to every element of a patient’s life. Oral pain or missing teeth can limit a person’s ability to get or keep a job, perform well in school, and interact positively in relationships. And all of these impacts are disproportionately hitting Michiganders, who are already the state’s most vulnerable.by 2020 Michigan Oral Health PlanIn 2014, 55.3% of Michiganders with household incomes less than $20,000 did not see a dentist, and Latino and African American children had much higher rates of untreated tooth decay. expensive.
However, health care providers in Michigan, including Cherry Health; grace healthand Huda Clinic introduced an integrated oral health model to begin addressing this issue. Learn how they are improving health and reducing disparities in the dental chair.
Cherry Health: Providing services for “anyone, anyone”
cherry health, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) consolidates dental services into eight practices located in Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Hastings, and Greenville.
“Broken teeth can disfigure your appearance. People are embarrassed and have a hard time smiling. This can affect job interviews, friendships, and create a negative self-image,” says Hill. he says. “Dental care is important not only in terms of diet, but also in terms of how you feel about your life.”
One of Cherry Health’s dental clinics.
Cherry Health also provides dental care at five school locations in Cedar Springs and Grand Rapids. Although Hill focuses on underserved populations, the clinic accepts “anyone,” including those with insurance, and patients who can afford to pay are referred to established dentists. He said he will be able to continue treatment at the clinic. Cherry Health dental clinics offer preventive and restorative care, oral surgery, crowns and bridges, and emergency care.
“We believe all of these services are necessary to maintain oral health,” Hill says. “When providing the best oral care, it is difficult to skip any part of dentistry.”
Cherry Health embeds a dental clinic within its medical facilities, allowing clients seamless and immediate access to care should a medical need arise during a dental appointment or vice versa. Hill gives his two common examples. An adult who experienced high blood pressure during a dental visit and a child who required general anesthesia for an oral procedure.
“By talking to multiple (clinicians) and seeing things from different perspectives, you can treat patients better,” Hill says. “A kid in the medical field hit his face and his right side was swollen. He came back a few days later with swelling on his left side. He had some dental work done so we were able to take an x-ray. He had an infection. “We were able to look at (his injuries) from different aspects: trauma and dental issues.”
HUDA: Free dental care for uninsured and underinsured adults.
Ten years after founding the practice, HUDA Clinic in Detroit began offering dental services in 2014 based on the needs of the practice’s clients.
“We decided to integrate dental care into local clinics along with other services to create a one-stop shop for health care,” said Eman Altairi, Executive Director of HUDA Clinic. Masu. “With an integrated and comprehensive approach, we have been able to improve the health outcomes of our patients.When patients come to us for physical care and find that we provide dental care, You no longer have to wait until a dental emergency occurs.”
HUDA Secretary General Eman Altairi.
HUDA also provides primary care, mental health, podiatry, and vision services without copayments or fees. Dental services include cleanings, x-rays, tooth extractions, and restorative fillings. If a patient has an oral health problem beyond its scope, HUDA will refer them to the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry for low-cost treatment. HUDA helps patients obtain affordable dentures.
“Funding is an issue, but we are always looking for ways to expand opportunities for our clients,” Altairi says.
Some of HUDA’s hygienists are paid, but all dentists are volunteers. All funding comes from donations and grants.
“When it comes to oral health issues…pain can cause other health issues to be ignored. Oral health is often ignored until the last moment when the pain is unbearable,” Altairi said. To tell. “Emergency dental care is important, but we also educate our patients about oral health. Dental care is very difficult to access in underserved communities.”
Clinicians provide nutritional advice to dental patients and encourage them to consume fresh vegetables from the clinic’s community garden.
“We don’t know if they’ll come back, so we make the most of their visits in terms of oral health education,” Altairi says.
HUDA wants to include dental health as part of its support for children in local schools and is looking for more dental professionals to volunteer with the program.
Grace Health: Cares for one-quarter of Calhoun County residents
grace health, another FQHC, also offers dental care alongside primary care, behavioral health, vision, physical therapy, and podiatry. Her dental clinics in Battle Creek and Albion treat patients of all ages on Medicaid, as well as her Medicaid-eligible patients 60 and older. Calhoun County Senior Millage service. Grace Health offers dental exams, cleanings, X-rays, fillings, crowns, root canals, complete and partial dentures, periodontal treatment, and select oral surgery, with referrals to local oral surgeons in complex cases. To do.
Grace Health Dental Director Dr. Kevin Steely said about a quarter of Calhoun County residents are Grace Health patients. At the Battle Creek clinic he has 20 dental chairs and at the Albion clinic he has eight.
“We get a lot of visits,” Steely says.
Kevin Steely.
Grace Health’s integrated model is particularly useful for obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics practices.
“In pediatrics, kids come in and the pediatrician looks inside their mouths,” Steely says. “If they find something, we can interact and make an appointment. It’s convenient that they’re in the same place, he’s 200 meters away from where I’m sitting.”
Grace Health’s portable dentistry program sends dental hygienists to schools to screen, clean, and apply fluoride and sealants to insured and uninsured children at no cost. Steely has seen 15-year-olds who had to have all their teeth removed.
“These kids don’t even have wisdom teeth, but they’re wearing dentures,” he says. “The incidence of children who are underinsured is higher who are on ADD-type medications. …My question is, is the problem ADD or are they just having pain?” Is that what it is?”
He added that preventive dental care is surprisingly inexpensive. When children receive good oral care from an early age, they are more likely to maintain good dental health and improve their overall health for the rest of their lives.
“The integrated care model has helped patients. The challenge is to provide fee-for-service services,” Steely concludes. “Sometimes as dentists, we get so focused on the work we’re doing that we don’t always think about the rest of the patient. Here, we don’t really care about what’s going on in the patient’s life. We’re more capable because we know there’s more going on than dental issues. ”
Freelance writer and editor Estelle Sloatmaker is happiest writing about social justice, health, and the arts.She is the development news editor fast growing mediacommunication manager our kitchen tableand the chair The Tree Amigos, City of Wyoming Tree Commission. Her greatest accomplishment is her five wonderful adult children. You can contact Estelle at: [email protected] or www.constellations.biz.
Eman Altairi Photo by Nick Hagen. Kevin Steely Photo courtesy of Kevin Steely. Cherry Health Photo courtesy of Cherry Health.
