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Elder Dental Program offers low-cost dental care for seniors
Stoughton Journal, March 2, 2007

A new dental program for low-income seniors has already helped more than a hundred local elders in the past year, and organizers are encouraging more seniors to apply.

The Elder Dental Program is a community-based, nonprofit program dedicated to helping local low-income elders receive quality dental care. Care is provided by private practice dentists in southern Norfolk County who volunteer to treat low-income elders at a significantly reduced fee.

Southern Norfolk County residents aged 60 and over who do not have dental insurance may qualify to participate in the Elder Dental Program if they have an annual income of less than $24,500 for a single person or $33,000 for a couple; and have less than $19,500 in savings ($38,000 for a couple).

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.

Dental care offered through the program includes diagnosis, fillings, extractions, and cleanings by general dentists and specialists. Participating dentists treat patients in their own offices during regular office hours. Patients are referred to dental schools for dentures and similar restorative work. Patients pay the dentist at the time of their visit.
The program is open to 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 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.

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

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