Columbia’s Mobile Dentistry Program is back and ready to bring low-cost medicals and dental care to residents of upper Manhattan and the Bronx.
On November 12, officials and community leaders joined leaders of Columbia University at its Manhattanville campus in West Harlem to celebrate the launch of the new mobile dental center operated by the Columbia College of Dentistry (CDM).
The new mobile center, a modern and mobile clinic, will visit Head Start centers, schools, senior centers and other partner sites of CDM’s Community DentCare network. The clinic will primarily serve patients in Washington Heights, Harlem, Inwood and the South Bronx, many of whom have limited access to healthcare.
“With the mobile clinic, we are able to perform exams and facilitate referral and treatment for people who need it most and who would likely have difficulty getting to our brick and mortar clinics. It’s a great tool for us to promote oral health and treat our most vulnerable patients in these areas, ”said George Jenkins, DMD, MHA, Assistant Professor of Dentistry and Associate Dean for Access , equity and inclusion at the CDM.
After the inauguration ceremony, event participants had the opportunity to explore the interior of the mobile clinic, which includes two dental chairs, x-ray equipment, reception and health education area. and a wheelchair lift. The facility is designed to serve as an extension of the Center for Precision Dental Medicine, CDM’s state-of-the-art teaching clinic.
“The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation and Columbia University College of Dental Medicine share a common mission: to provide better access to oral health care and to help the people and communities we serve lead healthier lives,” said said Kenzie Ferguson, vice president of foundation and corporate social services. responsibility of Delta Dental of California. “The Foundation is proud to fund the Mobile Dental Center, which will be of particular benefit to children and the elderly who are often the most neglected when it comes to receiving essential dental care and oral hygiene advice. that they need the most. “
The new mobile dental center replaces and improves the school’s old mobile clinic, now in disuse. CDM purchased the new vehicle with a grant from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation; The funds are part of more than $ 70 million the Foundation has given since 2011 to projects that advance access to oral health care for disadvantaged children and adults across the United States. The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California.
A bright blue bus adorned with photos of smiling children, the new mobile dental center mirrors CDM’s rejuvenated DentCare program, which runs the mobile clinic and other initiatives to improve access to oral health in the community . CDM professors, hygienists and interns have made more than 150,000 patient care visits through the DentCare program since its inception in 1996. DentCare has suspended most operations in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has passed telehealth services for some of the most difficult to reach populations, such as housebound patients in the upper Manhattan area. This fall, the program began to resume its broader net services.
In addition to providing care in the mobile clinic, DentCare provides older people in the area with health check-ups, workshops and referrals through an initiative called ElderSmile. Several new programs aimed at providing interdisciplinary health care to vulnerable young and old are being developed by the DentCare team in collaboration with Columbia Schools of Nursing and Medicine, the NewYork-Presbyterian Ambulatory Care Network. and the faith-based organization ArchCare.
To effectively integrate care, CDM has added a new role to the DentCare team: Community Dental Health Coordinator, a position created through a second grant from Delta Dental and in partnership with the New York State Dental Association. The coordinator facilitates connections between patients, providers, community health centers and other social service organizations to better support patients with a range of health needs; performs certain oral health services directly; and works to strengthen DentCare’s relationships with a range of community partners.
“CDM’s DentCare program has left an indelible mark on this community over its 25 years of service. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the impact of social determinants of health and the disparities that continue to persist in marginalized communities, ”says Biana Roykh, DDS, MPH, associate professor of dentistry and senior associate dean for clinical affairs at the CDM. “The new mobile dental center is a testament to Columbia’s continued and deep commitment to help bridge this health gap, and we are fortunate to have partnerships that allow us to continue our service-learning mission.” , responsiveness to community needs, and scientific scholarship with the community based on participation.
