By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
By the end of this year, people without dental insurance will have a place to turn for help in Wood County.
“To be able to finally offer services is huge for us,” Wood County Health Commissioner Ben Batey said as he prepared for the groundbreaking ceremony for the new dental services expansion to Wood County Health Department’s Community Health Center.
The dental clinic will have five exam chairs, offering services such as X-rays, minor surgeries and preventative care.
Community health assessments have repeatedly shown unmet dental needs as a top health problem for local residents.
The health department was able to secure nearly $900,000 from the federal government to cover the construction costs for the facility that extends off the east end of the health department at 1840 E. Gypsy Lane Road, Bowling Green.
More than a decade ago, local officials who cared about public health and about children met at the county health department to discuss the lack of dental care for local children. At that point there was one dentist in the county who freely accepted Medicaid patients – Dr. Jack Whittaker.
The problem wasn’t an easy fix with a clear culprit. Dentists are reimbursed at a lower rate by Medicaid than through private insurance. And the Medicaid patients often have significant dental needs because they have delayed treatment due to the expense.
They often wait till the pain is unbearable, and the cost is escalated.
Since then, the county offered a Band-Aid solution that has been a lifesaver to some residents. Once a month, the Smile Express parked its RV-size mobile dental unit outside the Wood County Health District to treat patients who otherwise would go without care.
Though it made a difference in many lives, it was just scratching the surface of the unmet dental needs in the county. Every time the health district conducted an assessment of the county, the lack of dental services for low income residents ranked high on the list of needs.
Wood County was not alone.
In 2015, dental care was the top unmet health care need for nearly 157,400 children of all family incomes across the state, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Almost 486,000 children in the state lacked dental insurance, and nearly 340,000 had never been to a dentist.
In Wood County that same year, 21 percent of children had not had a dental appointment in the past year, while more than 9 percent had never been to the dentist.
Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among children 6 to 11 years old, affecting about a quarter of all kids, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It worsens as they age, affecting almost 60 percent of those aged 12 to 19 years. The Ohio Department of Health cites that more than half of Ohio children have experienced tooth decay by the time they are in third grade.
And poor dental care doesn’t stop at the gums, Batey explained. Tooth infections can lead to problems elsewhere in the body, and poor teeth can lead to bad food choices causing poor nutrition.
“The whole body is connected. Health issues allowed to go unchecked lead to other problems,” Batey said.
And minor dental issues left untreated often grow into major dental problems that are much more expensive to fix.
As they lined up with the shovels, people who have been working for years toward dental services spoke to the crowd.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Batey said. “There are so many people who struggle getting dental care.”
But soon, they will not be turned away if they are unable to pay, he said.
“No one’s going to be denied services due to their lack of income or inability to pay,” said Diane Krill, the health center CEO.
Dr. Steven Dood, chief medical officer, said during his past 20 years as a physician, he has often been approached by people about dental problems.
“I’ve all too often been asked about dental issues because people have difficulty getting dental care,” Dood said.
Health board president Frank McLaughlin spoke about the years of efforts to reach this point.
“There’s certainly a great need in the county,” he said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
Board member Betty Woods said she recalled the years when only Whittaker was providing care to kids without insurance. “I’m so excited it’s finally here and available to everyone, no matter what.”
Health Center board president Joanne Navin said the new services will allow people to smile who previously felt self-conscious about their teeth.
“One of the things I’ll be happy to see is all those smiles,” Navin said.
Susan Lawson, of the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers, said that dental disease is the single most unmet health care need in Ohio.
“You are truly giving people a reason to smile,” Lawson said.
One of those patients will be Tom Hammett, a member of the health and wellness center’s board of directors, who intends to sign up for services.
“I think these places are the wave of the future. I can’t wait for it to open,” Hammett said.
The new dental services will have a sliding fee scale.
“It’s a huge benefit for folks who have no insurance or a high deductible,” Batey said.
“There’s been such a need for oral health services,” Krill said. “We’re hoping to make a big difference in the community’s overall health.”
