Jefferson Health’s Community Dental Care Access Program celebrates decade of dentist partnerships

This year marks the 10th anniversary of a unique community partnership in Montgomery County that provides dental care to residents who meet income thresholds and reside in certain school districts. The Jefferson Health Abington Dental Care Access Program provides basic dental services to underinsured and uninsured residents of the Greater North Penn community through a network of participating local dentists from the Montgomery Bucks Dental Society.

Since its inception, the Dental Care Access Program has provided more than $1M in dental services and is estimated to serve nearly 1,000 community members by year’s end. Collaborating with 41 dentists in 16 dental practices, the program provides preventive care, basic restorative procedures, and emergency services to qualifying children and adults. The scope of care includes cleanings, exams, x-rays, fillings and extractions. The cost of dentures or partial dentures is covered if the costs are within the maximum allotment of funding per person.

“We are so grateful to offer this service to our community members. An important member of this partnership is ‘behind the scenes’ - the VNA Foundation of Greater North Penn -- which has provided funding since 2014,” says Katie Farrell, Vice President of Operations at Jefferson Lansdale Hospital. “Thanks to their grant funding, we can provide these important services to people in our community with no other resources for dental care.”

There are many stories of grateful patients who have benefited from this care, including children, retired individuals and others who could not afford dental care. “Some participants needed to see a dentist prior to obtaining care for a medical condition, and others had more confidence out in the world after receiving help to improve their smile,” said Farrell. “This program is a win-win and a source of pride for our organization.”

Before being accepted into the program, participants must provide information about their income and the school district in which they reside. The program is open to people who live in the North Penn, Souderton and Wissahickon school districts. An example of a qualifying family is one with four members with a yearly gross income of less than $90,000 who reside in one of the three school districts.

Currently, there are open slots available to participate in this program. If you or someone you know needs these services, please call 215-412-8507 to schedule an appointment to meet with a social worker.