Hurdles like cost and a shortage of providers have made receiving dental care difficult. Ohio Hills Health Center is working to change that with a new dental office inside the ECO Center in Belmont County.
“There’s a huge need for dental providers in the area and, really, across the country. Us being able to leverage the grant dollars to bring two dentists, two full-time dentists to our dental office here in the ECO Center will really make a difference.”
Jeff Britton, CEO, Ohio Hills Health Center
The new space comes as part of a $1.5 million Appalachian Community Grant funding two full-time dentists, four exam rooms, and x-ray capabilities. The office also accepts Medicaid, making it one of the few practices in the Ohio Valley that does.
The expansion also targets a growing concern — children’s oral health. Studies show kids in the Ohio Valley experience tooth decay at a rate nearly 60% higher than the rest of the state. OHHC has used a school-based model before, but this new setup is designed to reach even more families.
“This will not be housed within the walls of the school but being a school-linked health center and partnering with the Education Service Center of Eastern Ohio, we’ll be able to offer services to all the local students.”
Whether serving students or the public, OHHC officials say the mission remains the same no matter the specialty.
“All health services, whether it’s medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, there’s a shortage in this area of providers. Our mission is to bring those resources to the communities that we serve.”
Jeff Britton, CEO, Ohio Hills Health Center
Source: WTOV9 News