Lebanon
For those who are uninsured or underinsured, the cost can make the stress worse.
It also can be overwhelming, depending on the kind of care — especially if it’s long-term care — that is needed.
When the Upper Valley Health Council launched its free pilot program, Upper Valley Smiles for Life, in March 2017, all those needs were taken into consideration.
“We know there’s a need,” said Sandy Joslin, a dental hygienist who’s involved in the program. “That’s not even a question.”
That need has started to be addressed in Vermont, when the Ottauquechee Health Foundation launched Smiles for Seniors in 2015. Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital’s Upper Valley Smiles program provides dental care to children in area schools.
While Upper Valley Smiles for Life was originally directed toward seniors, it is open to all age 18 and above, said Alice Ely, executive director of the Public Health Council of the Upper Valley.
“Along the way, we recognized that even younger adults may not have access to regular dental care, so we decided to open the program to all adults,” Ely said in an email. “We were also determined to address the needs of people living farther out in our more rural communities.”
The clinic provides preventive screenings, education and fluoride treatment, she said.
In the Dartmouth-Hitchcock and Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital Community Needs Health Assessment, published in November 2015, 38.5 percent of those polled said they had difficulty accessing dental care, which edged out primary care (35 percent) as the hardest health care service to find.
“We want to build on what is working, fill in the gaps and make sure it can continue to meet community needs,” Ely said.
While Joslin, who also is involved with the Ottauquechee program, might not be able to address each patient’s dental concerns, she is able to help point them to other resources.
“It takes a while for word to get out that there’s a place you can go to and get your teeth looked at,” she said. “We try to educate patients.”
In the case of a patient who needs a significant amount of dental care, Joslin can explain the different layers of treatment and break it down into smaller goals. Program coordinator Sally Edson assists patients in scheduling future care needs and services.
For senior citizens, a recurring concern is dentures. “Reputable and affordable dentures is a problem,” Joslin said.
The program has support from the Public Health Council and receives funding from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Community Health, as well as partnering with the Grafton County Senior Citizens Council and Red Logan Dental Clinic, Ely said. Christopher D. Baker is the supervising dentist.
“We started this program thinking about serving the needs of seniors, but it is so clear that early prevention can save older adults from the painful and complicated issues associated with oral health problems,” Ely said. “We are dedicated to working with all our oral health and health partners to make oral health more of a priority for people of all ages.”
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
Editor’s note: There are clinics scheduled from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on July 13, at the HIV/HCV Resource Center, 2 Blacksmith St., Lebanon; July 20 at the United Congregational Church, 617 Route 10, in Orford; on Aug. 3, at the Upper Valley Senior Center, 10 Campbell St., in Lebanon; and Aug. 7, at the Mascoma Senior Center, 1166 Route 4, in Canaan. To make an appointment, contact program coordinator Sally Edson at sedson@gcscc.org or 603-448-1558.
