“At Dental Aid, we’re trying to make things a little easier for people, and to keep them free of pain and infections. We’re trying to ensure that kids don’t have to live with a toothache. How can they learn and listen to their teachers when they’re in pain? That’s what we’re here for. We’re dedicated to transforming lives in Boulder County.”
Dental Aid, Inc. – a grantee of the Community Foundation – is a Boulder County safety-net provider that offers dental care to families who struggle to afford care.
“In Colorado, we don’t have enough dentists who serve under- and uninsured populations, which prohibits easy, affordable access to care for these patients,” says Dennis Lewis, President and CEO. “Access to care, as well as the availability and cost of care, are the biggest barriers affecting overall health and quality of life in this community.
“So we’re always asking ourselves, how can we eliminate or reduce those barriers – like cost, culture, language and transportation – to make things easier for vulnerable populations? We have to innovate and create access points for healthcare, for those who struggle to get it.”
Indeed – with clinics in Longmont, Louisville and Boulder – Dental Aid also aims to reach people in schools and human services agencies, like the Sister Carmen Community Center, the OUR Center, Bridge House, and Mental Health Partners. “Portable equipment and new technologies allow us to identify and treat disease in community settings that can become dental homes,” Dennis says. “That’s how we can eventually go beyond disease and pain management to fostering health management.”
According to Dennis, the evidence for this approach is compelling. “The cost savings on the medical side – when it comes to emergency hospitalizations, as well as oral health-related pregnancy issues, cardiovascular concerns and cerebral health – are substantial.”
When it comes to healthcare access, social determinants of health – including language and cultural differences – are also at play. “For example, Spanish speakers are less likely to make a dentist’s appointment, as are single moms and lower-income parents who are often working multiple jobs and can’t find the time to keep up with the care their families need,” he says.
“You don’t have to look far to find poverty. It’s right here. And it’s across the street. Yet many of us aren’t aware of the sizable mobile home parks in Boulder County.
“And we’re not just talking about the very, very poor. In Boulder County, I think about the single mom who’s earning $25-$30 per hour. After high housing costs and childcare expenses – plus food, car insurance and other requisite outlays – there’s little or no disposable income left for oral healthcare or other expenses. One in three of our single moms is ‘housing poor,’ which means living in near poverty.”
Adds Dennis, “We need to think about people in our community who are probably working very hard, but who don’t have a lot of disposable income for dental or medical insurance. It’s the person who’s a cook at Murphy’s, or the person who’s removing snow from our parking lots. They’re all living paycheck to paycheck.
“At Dental Aid, we’re trying to make things a little easier for people, and to keep them free of pain and infections. We’re trying to ensure that kids don’t have to live with a toothache. How can they learn and listen to their teachers when they’re in pain?
“That’s what we’re here for. We’re dedicated to transforming lives in Boulder County.”
