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A $25,000 grant from the Delta
Dental of New Jersey Foundation is funding the Delta
Dental Senior Smiles program at Morristown Memorial
Hospital. Senior Smiles offers free dental care to
eligible senior citizens in Morris, Sussex and Hunterdon
counties. The pilot program is expected to care for
nearly 40 patients this year.
Community members 62 years of age and older who qualify
for charity care through Morristown Memorial Hospital
are eligible to receive dental services through Senior
Smiles. The program provides full and partial dentures,
as well as X-rays, cleanings and fillings.
“This area of New Jersey can be an expensive place to
live, and many of our older residents have found
themselves living on a fixed income, with most of their
money being spent on existing medical conditions,”
explained Elizabeth Clemente, D.D.S., chair of the
Dental Department for Morristown Memorial Hospital and
author of the grant proposal. “Unfortunately, charity
care does not cover dentures and most seniors do not
have dental insurance, so they end up going without. The
Delta Dental Senior Smiles program was developed to
fulfill this need.”
“Delta Dental is committed to helping provide
underserved New Jersey residents access to oral
healthcare, and we welcomed the opportunity to assist
Morristown Memorial Hospital with this initiative,” said
Gene F. Napoliello, D.D.S., president of the Delta
Dental of New Jersey Foundation. “Senior citizens
represent a growing segment of the population that is
often unable to afford adequate oral healthcare. This is
unfortunate since as we age, risks for a number of oral
health problems greatly increase, including tooth loss
due to severe periodontal disease or dental decay.”
Dental care for older adults is a complex specialty due
to the many different health problems we face as we age.
For example, certain medications can cause dry mouth,
which can increase the risk of periodontal disease.
Certain treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy may
complicate dental treatment. The Senior Smiles program
is equipped to handle these needs.
“The patients we have treated so far through Senior
Smiles have been active, productive residents, many of
whom volunteer their time throughout the community, even
here at Morristown Memorial Hospital, but have found
themselves unable to afford the dental care they need,”
said Dr. Clemente. “We are grateful to Delta Dental for
partnering with us to offer these seniors a way to
improve their oral health and their smiles.”
The program is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday. If you know someone who might qualify
for Senior Smiles, call (973) 971-5442 for more
information. |
