Stimulus funds go to dental clinics across U.S.

Large chunks of the $508.5 million in stimulus funds awarded to community health clinics by the U.S. government will go to dental care facilities.

On Dec. 10, Pres. Barack Obama announced awards to 85 centers for construction and renovation projects, using money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Though the government did not list which programs will use the money for oral care, news reports around the country identified a handful of oral health projects.

The money went only to federally qualified community health centers. In addition to $508.5 million through the Facility Investment Program, as much as $88 million will be available to help Health Center Controlled Networks improve operational effectiveness and clinical quality in health centers by providing management, financial, technology, and clinical support services, the White House said.

Among the dental projects to be funded:

• In New York City, Urban Health Plan has earmarked its $12 million grant to add 53,000 square feet to its facility, including expansion of its dental operatories from four to 20, it reported in a press release.
• In California, Clinica Sierra of Fresno will use $1.2 million of its $4 million grant to finish a dental Center at Elm Community Health Center, the Fresno Bee said.
• In Texas, Waco's Family Health Center will use $5.3 million to build a new building, including a top floor dental clinic with three doctors, according to the Waco Tribune-Herald.
• In Pennsylvania, Greater Philadelphia Health Action will use some of its $3.9 million grant to renovate a vacant clinic as a dental- and behavioral health-services center, according to a report in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Meanwhile, SouthEast Lancaster Health Services is "dramatically expanding" dental care with part of its $3.3 million grant, Lancasteronline reported.
• Virginia's Blue Ridge Medical Center is planning to expand access to dental services with part of the $5 million it will receive, The News & Advance said.
• Indiana's HealthNet is using $1.9 million to renovate a building and expand services in southwest Indianapolis. It's combining two centers into one and adding dental and mental health services, according to Indystar.com.
• In Massachusetts, the Mattapan Community Health Center of Boston will use part of its $11.5 million to expand its "dental area" according to WBZTV.com.
• In South Carolina, Little River Medical Center of Myrtle Beach is using $5.5 million to renovate a 33,978-square-foot building to make space for dental services and administration, The Sun News reported.
• Florida's Tampa Family Health Centers will construct an 18,000-square-foot clinic with $2.9 million in stimulus funds, with services to include medical, dental, and pharmacy, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

"Together, these initiatives -- funding for construction, technology and a medical home demonstration project -- won't just save more money and create more jobs, they'll give more people the peace of mind of knowing that health care will be there for them and their families when they need it," said Pres. Obama. "Ultimately, that's what health reform is really about."