Demand soars for free dental service in greater Brunswick
When Brunswick-based Oasis Free Clinics invested in a new suite of dental exam rooms and increased its number of free dental clinics from two to 13 per month, the facility saw demand soar.
Dental hygienist Tammy Tyree told The Forecaster that, in the last nine months, the facility has tripled the volume of dental care services from what it did in one year prior to the expansion.
Oasis Free Clinics are the only clinics in Midcoast Maine offering free medical and dental services to those who have no health insurance and cannot afford to pay for care, serving residents of Brunswick, Freeport, Harpswell and the islands, and Sagadahoc County, except Richmond, which has a federally qualified health center, according to the facility’s website.
More than 80 clinical volunteers work together to provide about 4,000 patient visits each year.
Executive Director Anita Ruff told The Forecaster the value of the clinic’s free dental services has totaled over $188,000 — up from $63,100 for services it provided during all of 2015. Ruff said the facility decided to expand its dental services because it’s not covered by MaineCare, which results in a higher unmet need than other healthcare services.
Since its founding in 1992 as a clinic devoted to caring for the homeless in the Tedford-Oasis Shelter in Brunswick, Oasis has expanded from a Tuesday night walk-in clinic to a full-time, full-service primary care practice, a prescription assistance clinic providing close to $1million in free medications each year, and the free dental clinic.
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments