OMC establishing Dental Clinic

Oconee Medical Center is preparing to open the first hospital-based community dental clinic in the state of South Carolina.  The need for such a clinic grew from the emergency department continuing to see more and more patients with dental issues, explains Oconee Medical Center Foundation executive director Cortni Nations.  “Dental issues for uninsured adults have been a major problem for years now and so we are working to meet that need and fill that void.  It will be open to anyone who is uninsured, uninsured adults that is and those who are at 200% at or below poverty.  Dental are one of the top reasons that the uninsured must visit the emergency room, so we want to prevent some of those things from happening and get them the things that they need.  Primarily extractions but there will be some oral health education and some cleanings as well.  Mountain Lakes Access Health is heading up that project.  We are really proud to be a part of that, our hospital is very excited about that and certainly our donors are very excited because this could potentially be a pilot program for others across the state.” The Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina Foundation is funding a large portion of the clinic.  Blue Ridge Electric provided seed money to start the project.  Private donors have also been instrumental in establishing the community dental clinic. Oconee Medical Center set aside five vacant patient rooms to house the new clinic, adds Nations.  “They are doing construction now, had to do some minor renovations per DHEC regulations because DHEC regulates dental practices and we want to make sure it is safe and ready to use for everyone.  We hope that those renovations will be finished by the end of October and somewhere around November or December should be able to start seeing patients.  We have eight volunteer dentists who have committed to the project.  We will house two dental chairs.  We are hiring a hygienist, which is posted at Oconee Medical Center, who would be there for 20-hours a week.” The hospital-based community dental clinic plans to be open four days a week.  Two days will be devoted to performing extractions, with the other two days for cleanings and oral health education.