A permanent dental clinic is now available five days a week to serve interim housing residents of the San Mateo County Homeless Navigation Center.
The 240-unit facility, operated by LifeMoves, provides temporary housing, case management, and access to the full range of health care, mental health and substance use services, social supports, and other programs of the County and its partner agencies.
Previously, dental care was available at the Navigation Center through weekly visits from the mobile dental clinic. San Mateo County Health or scheduling an appointment with a provider located elsewhere. Now, with on-site services available throughout the week, accessing dental care at the Navigation Center is much easier.
The dental clinic is operated by the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry at the University of the Pacific and provides free preventive and restorative dental care and specialty care, including examinations, cleanings, fillings and emergency treatments, as well as oral surgery, endodontics and periodontics, performed by dental students under the supervision of the faculty and with the assistance of a registered dental assistant.
With a capacity for 2,500 visits per year, the program is expected to treat up to 800 people per year.
“Good oral health is inextricably linked to overall health and well-being. We are proud to partner with San Mateo County on this cutting-edge approach to addressing the health care needs of Navigation Center clients and look forward to replicating this model in other counties and jurisdictions,” said Dean and Vice Provost Dr. Nader A. Nadershahi of the Dugoni School.
San Mateo County Executive Mike Callagy said the dental clinic is an important step toward achieving the county's goals for the homeless.
With the addition of dental services, the Navigation Centre now houses two primary care centres. A medical clinic, operated by Healthcare in Action, offers free medical consultations and treatment to Navigation Centre clients.
A referral system allows clients who enter one facility to receive an appointment for treatment at the other, as well as access other services and benefits, with the help of a LifeMoves case manager.
Dental coverage is included as a Medi-Cal benefit in California.
With preventative care, including regular cleanings, patients require fewer extractions and with a healthier mouth can see an improvement in their quality of life. Studies have shown that combining medical and dental coverage can result in a reduction in emergency department utilization for dental visits.
Regular preventive care can reduce overall dental costs compared to the costs of treating patients without preventive care, including oral surgeries. There is even a reduction in dentistry-related opioid prescriptions.
The clinic's operating partners are LifeMoves, Healthcare In Action, University of the Pacific, and Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry; it is funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
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