Editor,

In Governor Manchin’s State of the State, he expressed a strong desire to improve oral health access to all West Virginians by providing a one-time expenditure for community health centers (CHC) to purchase dental equipment, and by encouraging dentists to volunteer their services one day a month. It was a worthy and well-received call to action, and an excellent platform for providing all West Virginians basic dental services.

West Virginia’s community health centers are medical homes to one in six West Virginians, regardless of insurance status; however, as Gov. Manchin acknowledged, they can also be “dental homes” to West Virginians, as well. Community health centers can provide oral health services regardless of insurance type or income status, as they offer oral health services to all ages for a fee based on a sliding scale. These centers have a patient population comprised of 22 percent Medicaid and approximately 30 percebnt uninsured, and all are cared for by oral health professionals who can consistently monitor their care and progress.

In addition, if the patient requires a level of care unavailable at the community health center, he/she is promptly referred to a private practice within in their own community, to ensure that the patient receives the care he/she needs. This is an excellent example of how community health centers and private oral health practices can and do work together to ensure oral health access for every West Virginian.

West Virginia’s 34 community health centers currently have over 150 sites located throughout the state. In 2007, W.Va. CHC’s reported over 55,000 oral health patient visits. This includes visits by children who were seen by school-based community health centers, 11 percent of whom were uninsured and not covered by Medicaid or SCHIP. Continuing the effort to expand oral health services in these centers, and continuing the effort to build upon mutually beneficial cooperation between these centers and private practices is the best way to ensure that every West Virginian, regardless of insurance status or location, has access to oral health services.

Louise Reese

CEO of the WV Primary Care Assoc.

Charleston