New Dental Program for Chester Residents

Keystone Mercy Health Plan Sponsors Mobile Dental Program for Chester Residents

Philadelphia, Pa. — Keystone Mercy Health Plan and Dentex Dental Group are teaming up to bring a new mobile dental health program called “Chester Smiles” to the residents of Chester, Pennsylvania.

New 42-foot mobile vans staffed with experienced dental professionals and outfitted with a comprehensive range of state-of-the-art dental equipment will soon be traveling throughout the City of Chester to provide quality dental care to the 34,000 residents who live in the area.  

The vans will be parked at primary care physician offices, community housing locations and government facilities beginning March 26, 2012. Appointments will be accepted, as well as walk-ins.  Many types of insurance will be accepted, and those who are unable to pay can work out payment arrangements.

According to Larry Paul, DDS, Keystone Mercy Dental Director, “Chester Smiles is designed to improve access to quality dental care, reduce emergency room utilization for preventable dental issues and to introduce the concept of a ‘dental home’ that will provide continuity of care for those who need it most.”

Chester Mayor John Linder said, “We’re grateful to providers like Keystone Mercy Health Plan and Dentex Dental Group who work together to improve the health of our communities.”

The mobile access to dental care that Chester Smiles will provide will complement the work of established providers in the area that provide dental services.

According to a recent report issued by the Pew Center on the States, in 2009, U.S. citizens made 800,000 visits to the emergency room for preventable dental conditions like toothaches. This number represents a 16 percent increase over 2006. The study attributed the increase to the issues that underserved populations experience in receiving access to regular preventive care from dentists. The study went on to say that, “in 2009, 56 percent of Medicaid-enrolled children did not receive dental care—not even a routine exam. The access problem is driven by multiple factors, including a shortage of dentists in many areas of the U.S. and the fact that many dentists do not accept Medicaid-enrolled children.”