News Articles

Dr. Stone helps start dental clinic
Walpole Times, January 19, 2006

When a local health coalition began screening seniors for oral health problems a few years ago, they were alarmed at what they found. Nearly a quarter of these elderly people were in pain, about a third had untreated dental decay, and almost none could afford treatment.

After seeing too many elders enduring pain with no hope for relief, member of the Neponset Valley Community Health Coalition looked for a way to help address the problem.

The coalition's efforts paid off in the form of a new dental program for low-income seniors who live in southern Norfolk County, the area comprised of the towns of Canton, Dedham, Foxboro, Medfield, Millis, Norfolk, Norwood, Plainville, Sharon, Walpole, Westwood, and Wrentham. The backbone of the elder dental program is a network of local dentists who volunteer to see low-income, elderly patients at a significantly reduced fee.

The elder dental program fills a need for seniors living in southern Norfolk County who have an annual income of less than $23,928 and do not have a dentist of record. More than a dozen seniors have been connected with participating dentists in the month since the program started, and the dentists are ready to see more of these special patients.

It's a wonderful thing," explains Dr. Stephen Stone of Walpole, a periodontist who was instrumental in starting the program. "These people have lived through world wars, the Great Depression, and they've given a lot to our country. They come to us in such great need, and we are able to help them. It gets to what motivated us to be dentists in the first place. It's an amazing feeling."

To apply to participate in the reduced-fee program, seniors talk with the program manager, who explains the program. She then asks questions about the applicant's income and savings to determine their eligibility for the program. Applicants are responsible for providing basic documentation of their financial status.

When a senior qualifies for the program, the program manager talks with a participating dentist's office and arranges the first appointment. After that, the dentists' office schedules follow-up appointments and charges using the reduced-fee chart. Because the program's goal is to reach as many seniors as possible, new dentures are not included in the program's scope.

The elder dental program is made possible through the efforts of many people, especially the participating dentists. The dental subcommittee of the Neponset Valley Community Health Coalition spent several years planning the project and won an implementation grant from the Oral Health Foundation. The Norfolk Adult Day Health Center in Norwood is partnering with the coalition in order to make the program a reality.

"We're excited to offer the elder dental program, and we hope that seniors take advantage of this opportunity," said Cathy Cranston of HESSCO Elder Services, a coalition member instrumental in starting the program. "It's very exciting to move from simply diagnosing people's oral health problems to connecting them with care."

For more information or to apply to participate in the program, call Gwen Stewart, Program Manager at (781) 769-3710 or email her at elderdental@earthlink.net.

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