New York University School of Dentistry
New York University School of Dentistry
Grant Status
Completed
Project Title
Columbia County Oral Health Intervention Program
Award Amount
$197,682
Location
Manhattan
Website
Date Awarded
April 17, 2009
Since its founding in 1865, New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) has been a pioneer in dental education, care, research, technology, and community service. It is the largest dental school in the nation and has educated more dentists than any other dental institution. NYUCD is a major provider of dental services to New York State’s Medicaid population and seeks to implement a results-oriented, financially sustainable oral health intervention program in Columbia County.
A significant number of upstate New York’s Columbia County student population (kindergarten through sixth grade) is at high risk for oral disease due to poverty, lack of dental insurance, lack of water fluoridation, cultural and environmental issues, diet, and limited oral hygiene education. Although 750 children in Columbia County rely on Medicaid, no private dentists within the county accept Medicaid. In addition, Columbia County Memorial Hospital plans to discontinue dental services in mid-2009.
The goal of the Columbia County Oral Health Intervention Program is to reduce the dental caries of approximately 1,500 children in kindergarten through sixth grade over a three-year period. This oral health intervention program will be school-based, initiating in the grade schools within the city of Hudson in year one and expanding to the remainder of the grade schools within Columbia County in years two and three. The proposed program is based on a highly successful dental outreach model for Head Start children piloted by NYUCD in Hudson in October 2008 in cooperation with Columbia Opportunities, the Healthcare Consortium, and Columbia County Memorial Hospital. Based on this experience, NYUCD projects that Medicaid revenues will be sufficient to sustain the program after three years.