Dental Clinic rejoices: "The doctor is in"

Weekly visit is a welcome addition to services

By DONNA HICKMAN
Daily Journal Staff Writer

A dentist is seeing patients today for the first time in the Children’s Dental Clinic at the St. Francois County Health Center.

“It’s a God-send!” said Sherry Cauley, Dental Hygienist. “I know it’s baby steps, but it’s a start to something we hope will be full time one day.”

Through a grant from the Missouri Dept. of Health, a volunteer dentist will be paid to work in the clinic every Friday. Dr. Doug Ross of Farmington is the first dentist to volunteer. He will work today and Aug. 15.

“I am excited and happy that we are finally doing this after so many years,” said Ross, as he worked on Megan Plank’s teeth. She’s getting a cavity filled. Ross said he will also apply dental sealant to help further decay from spreading.

“This is her first trip to see a dentist,” said Tom Plank, Megan’s grandfather. She had first been a patient at the Dental Clinic where the hygienist screened her. “This just means everything to us. It’s a good thing for everybody who might be in need of dental work.”

Cauley said all patients must be enrolled in MOHealth, which now encompasses Medicaid and MC Plus Medicaid. Few dentists accept patients through the plans, partly because the reimbursement is so low.

“It’s very hard to find a dentist that accepts Medicaid,” said Judy Hale, who bills MOHealth for reimbursement at the Health Center. “On average, for a child to be seen at the clinic by Sherry, our hygienist,  we get $30 from MOHealth. At the dentist, a patient pays $75 at least.”

The Health Center is asking dentists throughout the Parkland if they would be interested in working at the clinic on a Friday. The only other dentist who has signed up is Dr. Joseph Cangelosi of Bismarck.

Patients being seen first are those with dental abscesses or infection of some kind.

“We have a waiting list of patients that were identified during our school screenings as needing to have restorative care from a dentist,” said Debbie Hoehn, Assistant Health Center Director.

In September, school-based dental screenings will begin again for second and sixth graders in Madison and St. Francois Counties. Those who need more than just preventative care are referred to a dentist and if they are enrolled in MoHealth, they can be treated at the Dental Clinic. Care is offered to patients between 2 and 19 years old who are covered by Medicaid. Cauley sees patients during the week for cleaning, sealants and fluoride treatments. A dentist will only be at the Center on Fridays. And more dentists are needed to sign up.

“We have sent letters to every dentist within a 30-mile radius,” said Cauley. “This is such an urgent need.”

The dentist will see 10 patients per day at the Health Center at 1025 W. Main Street in Park Hills..

“I would tell other dentists to come over and work because there is a need,” said Ross. “I volunteer a lot in my life, but I am an official employee of the county here. I am paid — not the same as I make in private practice, but I feel well compensated professionally, emotionally and in every way.”

To find out about eligibility and to make an appointment, call (573) 431-1947.

Cauley said patients who see the dentist must have already been treated at the clinic.

Payment for the dentist’s services and those of Dental Assistant Brenda Kolafa comes through the Primary Care Resource Initiative (PRIMO) grant which provides $45,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and will continue for a total of three years. Another grant from Ronald McDonald House and Mike and Cyndy Gladbach of Farmington McDonald’s is providing $20,000 for the dentist’s supplies. Cauley said additional grants will be needed from other sources to buy more supplies.

Cauley said while she has been a dental hygienist for several years, it wasn’t until she began working at the health center that her eyes were opened to the severity of the problem of dental health among children in the Parkland. In its first year, the screening of 1,000 students found more than 40 percent in need of dental treatment.

Donna Hickman is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact her at 431-2010, ext. 138 or at dhickman@dailyjournalonline.com.

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