MMH biting into dental care with $185,000 DDCOF grant

    A dental clinic at Melissa Memorial Hospital gained a positive nod last week when it was announced that the hospital district will be receiving a $185,000 grant in a partnership with Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation.
    MMH CEO Trampas Hutches shared the good news at the March 27 meeting of the East Phillips County Hospital District board.
    As one of 10 grantee organizations in Wave II of the Colorado Medical-Dental Integration Project, MMH will have funding for equipment and startup costs for a dental clinic. Additionally, the project will include salary for a dental hygienist for two years.
    The tentative plan is for the dental clinic to be located near the eyecare clinic in the hospital’s new addition. Hutches said the program will be owned and operated by MMH, and they hope to be up and running by the fourth quarter of 2018.
    The focus of the CO MDI project as funded by DDCOF is to integrate preventive dental services into medical settings.
    As part of the initiative, the hygienist will provide dental services, coordinate care with the medical care team and collaborate with area dentists for comprehensive or restorative care.
    Hutches indicated that the ultimate goal would be that the project would lead to support for a dentist in the clinic on a more regular basis.
 

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