By Debbie Rogers
The Wood County Board of Health is asking administrators to sink their teeth into dental data.
At the July meeting, board member Bob Midden asked about the decline in visitors to the dental clinic at the Community Health Center.
“I’m curious why the number of dental patients is lower consistently this year than last year,” he said.
Board member Nilgun Sezginis said that she compared the April 2022 dental clinic patients, which was 214, to April 2023, which was 141.
Board member Cathleen Nelson asked that a more detailed summary be presented to the board at its August meeting. The information should include how many open positions there are and expectations for the future.
“I’d like to hear a game plan,” said board member Richard Strow.
He added that the dental clinic fills a great need in the county, for people who use Medicaid and Medicare.
“We’re kind of the last hope or resort here, for people in those categories. We need to find a way to make sure that we’re taking care of (them),” Strow said. “
“We want to be able to find the best ways to use that capacity,” Midden said.
Finance Director Rick Nelson said there was a Medicaid change in February.
“The processing of payments of the Medicaid slowed down dramatically,” he said. “That’s a bigger hit on our dental side.”
Board member D.J. Mears asked if Steve Meredith, a Community Health Center board member who was in the audience, had any insight.
Meredith said there have been personnel challenges at the dental clinic.
“Even if they get someone hired, they stick around for a little bit, then they’re gone. That’s been an ongoing process,” Meredith said.
There is also an issue with no-shows: people making appointments and not coming or not canceling.
“Maybe the no-shows don’t have transportation, and if that’s the case, we need to get them connected with a … service, to make sure they get here,” Strow said.
Health Commissioner Ben Robison said that two-thirds of the patients they see at the dental clinic are on Medicaid.
“We have a population with very few options,” he said.
In other dental business, the board created two part-time dental hygienist positions. The staff will contingently look for a full-time person, but most hygienists want part-time work, said Amy Jones, assistant director.
The dental clinic, which was funded through an $824,997 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant, was completed in 2018. It is adjacent to the health department on East Gypsy Lane Road.
Also at the meeting, the board:
• Heard a Narcan vending machine is opening Wednesday outside the health department building on East Gypsy Lane Road.
• Increased the monthly payment to S&S Cleaning Inc. from $2,610 to $3,010 for building cleaning services for the period of Aug. 1-Dec. 31. This is due to a noted increase in time of cleaning following the Community Health Center renovation.
• Accepted the resignation of Kendra Wise, registered environmental health specialist.
• Went into an executive session to discuss personnel.
