Mountain Community Health Partnership is working to ensure that children in area schools get the dental care they need, and they’re doing so by going right into the schools.
Poor oral health can have a detrimental effect on a child’s quality of life, school performance and success later in life, so Mountain Community Health Partnership is offering school-based dental services to kids in Mitchell and Yancey schools in 2023.
Cavities are preventable, and MCHP aims to ensure that students have the preventive oral health services they need in school to help them stay healthy and ready to learn.
MCHP will come to area schools to provide dental exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, X-rays and sealants.
During the visit, children will meet Dr. David DuBois and Chelsea Mckinney, dental hygienist. They will examine each child’s mouth, teeth and gums and discuss ways to improve overall oral health.
They will also recommend follow-up appointments for future care if needed with either MCHP or the child’s regular dentist. Children do not have to be MCHP patients to receive these services. They may receive the services even if they already have a dentist and records may be shared, as desired.
The school-based dental clinic aims to provide fast, convenient preventive dentistry without the child or parent losing time at school or work.
Services may be billed to the child’s dental insurance provider (including Medicaid or NC Health Choice) or paid out of pocket with discounts available to qualifying households through the MCHP sliding fee program.
Questions about insurance coverage or the sliding fee program may be directed to the Bakersville Dental Center.
To enroll a child in the program, visit mchp.care/sb-oral-health-program and click the enroll button.
Completion of all forms, including The Bakersville Dental Center Consent forms, Medical History forms and Insurance Verification forms (if applicable), is required for a child to be seen. Additional consent for the application of silver diamine fluoride, a cavity-stopping treatment, is included but not required.
For information, call the MCHP Bakersville Dental Center at 537-5991 or stop by the office at 89 N. Mitchell Ave, Bakersville.