Howard health officials want to expand dental and health screenings in schools to provide more preventative care for the county?s neediest children.
“Prevention really is the key to successful dentistry and long-term health,” said Dr. Brooks Woodward, director of dental services for Chase Brexton Health Services, a provider partnering with the county to provide care.
The county targets about 10 schools for dental sealants and screenings, but health officials hope to increase that number ? and one day have school-based clinics.
“We?re not doing as much in the schools, medically,” said David Shippee, executive director for Chase Brexton.
School-based medical clinics ? basically a doctor?s office at the school ? can provide treatment for more serious medical needs. The clinic could be a mobile van that travels between schools, said Dr. Peter Beilenson, Howard?s health officer.
However, schools spokeswoman Patti Caplan said the school system is “not interested” in school-based clinics because space is tight and schools provide services through a health assistant at each school. There are also nurses in every two or three schools.
The first step will be increasing the number of students who receive dental sealants and screenings, an idea to which school officials are amenable, Beilenson said.
To free up county health officials for more school outreach, the County Health Department is closing its county-run dental clinic in September in favor of contracting those services to Chase
Brexton, officials announced Tuesday.
Chase Brexton will begin providing dental services at the Ellicott City location in July before moving in September. The county?s two employees from the clinic will work closely with Chase Brexton.
Health officials hope to serve at least as many patients as at the Ellicott City facility and perhaps more, Beilenson said.
The Chase Brexton services will be funded in part through a $50,000 state grant through the County Health Department, plus an additional $15,000 in startup costs from the Health Department for the first year, said Dawn O?Neill, deputy health officer.
Officials at Chase Brexton, which also is partnering with the county on the Healthy Howard health access plan, expect to assume about $150,000 to $200,000 in costs, much of which can be reimbursed from federal programs such as Medicaid, said
Shippee.
“We?re certainly excited about the opportunity to launch more into public health stuff,” he said.
