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In an ongoing effort to positively impact the state's oral health, Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey Foundation, Inc. recently made donations to the Ocean Health Initiatives clinic in Lakewood, New Jersey, the Dover Community Clinic in Dover, New Jersey, and the Northwest New Jersey Dental Coalition's UMDNJ (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey) Dental Center in Newton, New Jersey.
Ocean Health Initiatives
Delta Dental's grants have supported the clinic by funding dental supplies and increasing and enhancing its dental services since 2001.
In addition to offering dental care, Ocean Health Initiatives provides adult internal medicine, pediatric and OB-GYN services to thousands of people, ranging from newborns to seniors, who are otherwise unable to afford a visit to the doctor or dentist. The clinic is also expanding its services to include behavioral health and podiatry care, beginning this September.
"Ocean Health Initiatives is such a valuable resource for this community. It is exactly the type of organization that our Foundation looks to support because they make a difference in so many lives each and every day," said Diane Belle, vice president, Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey Foundation, Inc.
Several Ocean Health Initiatives staff members are bilingual, which is helpful for the significant number of Hispanic patients who rely on the clinic for healthcare. Its downtown location also makes the clinic accessible for patients without a car or the means to afford public transportation.
Ocean Health Initiatives was originally part of the Kimball Medical Center, an acute care hospital serving Ocean County, until cuts in Medicaid and Medicare prompted directors to research alternatives. "We decided that we could expand our services and reach even more individuals by becoming a federally funded independent clinic," said Dr. Theresa Berger, executive director. In December 2003, the clinic began to operate independently, and in March 2003 it received federally qualified health center
(FQHC) status.
"Government funding, as well as the corporate support we receive from companies such as Delta Dental, has allowed us to increase our hours, offer new services and receive enhanced reimbursements to help more patients get the medical attention they need," Dr. Berger said.
Dover Community Clinic
The clinic provides low cost, high quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate medical and dental care to low-income families in Morris County and surrounding areas. Delta Dental's grant will be used specifically to support the clinic's dental initiatives.
The Dover Community Clinic was founded in April 1990 by Dr. Bob and Kay Zufall to provide primary care services. Today the staff is uniquely comprised of retired specialists in a variety of fields including urology, cardiology, ophthalmology and oral surgery. The staff dentist, who saw close to 1,250 patients last year, is on site about three days a week. Several staff members are bilingual, which is helpful for the largely Hispanic patient population.
"Delta Dental strives to increase access to care and improve oral health throughout the state," said Walter VanBrunt, vice president, Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey Foundation, Inc. "We support the Dover Clinic's outreach to this community and will continue to lend financial assistance to ensure the continuation of the valuable services they provide."
The biggest challenge the clinic faced early on was cancellations and "no-shows," until it began attaching a modest fee to their services. Patients are asked to make a contribution, based on a sliding scale according to ability, at the time they make their appointment. This helps the clinic to meet its goal of providing care and access to those who need it.
According to Kay Zufall, who serves as clinic administrator, "We offer traditional preventive dental services, but many low-income families don't seek dental care unless something actually hurts. We can do dentures, root canals, crowns, and oral surgery by referral. But part of our mission is to educate patients about the importance regular dental care plays in their overall health."
The clinic currently sees low-income patients from Dover, Morristown, Parsippany, Randolph and Rockaway. The clinic sometimes receives inquiries from patients outside the county. When that happens, staff members usually assist that individual in finding a clinic that's closer to home. The goal is not to take private patients away from practicing dentists, but rather to offer services to those who would otherwise go without care because they cannot afford it.
Zufall says that the clinic recently began working with the Wharton school system to focus efforts on treating children. The school nurse will do preliminary screenings and make referrals to the clinic based on individual need. The clinic hopes to expand this service to other local areas.
Newton Dental Clinic
The grant will be used to support the continuation of preventive and restorative dental care for those in Sussex and Warren Counties who are uninsured or rely on Medicare or Medicaid for health care. Delta Dental's funds will be used to defray operating costs of the program and to provide services directly to patients.
Currently, there is only one dentist in Sussex County and very few in Warren County who will accept patients without some form of insurance. According to NORWESCAP Perspectives of Low Income People in Northwest New Jersey, there are approximately 5,941 Sussex County residents and 6,709 Warren County residents who are below 100 percent of the poverty guideline ($17,650 for a family of four). Approximately 27 percent of Sussex County low-income residents and 38 percent of Warren County low-income residents cited dental care as an unmet need.
"It is part of our mission to support organizations that directly impact the oral health of underserved populations in New Jersey," said VanBrunt. "The Newton Clinic is a wonderful resource for families who are otherwise unable to afford adequate dental care."
Patients are referred to the UMDNJ Dental Center in Newton by a number of sources, including the Bureau of Social Services; NORWESCAP; school nurses; Domestic Abuse Services, Inc.; the Division of Aging and more.
"There is a dire need in this community for the dental services our clinic provides," explained Deb Fisher, president of the Board of Directors for the Northwest New Jersey Dental Coalition. "We are fortunate to have a wonderful, state-of-the-art facility, but we rely on the support of organizations like Delta Dental to keep our doors open and provide access to dentists for those in need."
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