Dental services offered to walk-ins on July 26

CARBONDALE — Public health dental hygiene practitioner Lori Wood has provided monthly preventive mobile dental services at the Carbondale Family Health Center. On Thursday, July 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., she’ll see patients on a first-come, first-serve basis without an appointment.
Services are limited to cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and x-rays. Most dental insurance is accepted. Additionally, Outreach and Enrollment Counselors will be onsite to help determine if patients quality for Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers’ sliding fee scale. It’s all part of the first-ever “Dental Walk-In Day.”
“This one-day outreach is planned with convenience and affordability in mind,” said Wood, who is also a community dental health coordinator employed by the Together for Health Dental Center. “We want to encourage good dental health with our mobile dental hygiene services and, at the same time, raise awareness about our sliding fee services for those who need help covering the cost of their treatment.”
As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers uses the federal sliding fee program, which is granted based on a patient’s income. Normally, after completing an application and providing proof of income, individuals have a 10-day wait to receive the status of their application. With counselors onsite, acceptance may be given on the spot.
Bring proof of incomeIt’s crucial that anyone wishing to apply for the sliding fee scale bring proper proof of income with them on July 26, said Rebecca Mead, outreach and enrollment at Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers. “If not, we cannot process the application that day," she said.
Supporting documentation of income includes the following:
Income tax return (most recent, unless income has changed, then two months of pay stubs)
Social Security award letter
Unemployment statement
Pension award letter
Copy of SNAP benefit
Cash assistance letter
“Dental Walk-In Day” is being sponsored in part by Aetna Better Health of Pennsylvania. Aetna donated a set of mobile equipment to WMCHC as a way of increasing accessibility to preventive dental services to those in underserved areas, not just patients who are members of their plan. A representative of Aetna will be on hand July 26 with giveaways, including toothbrushes and two-minute timers.
“We’re excited to partner with Wayne Memorial as one of our wonderful FQHC partners to help them reach thousands of families in such a meaningful way through portable and easy access to dental care,” said Jason Rottman, CEO of Aetna Better Health of Pennsylvania.
For more information call the Together for Health Dental Center at 570-251-6534.