Grant to help increase access to dental care at ECMC

Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) Corporation department of dentistry, oral oncology and maxillofacial prosthetics recently received the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part F Dental Reimbursement Program grant award of $58,977, according to notification ECMC received from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part F is a dental reimbursement program designed to improve critical access to oral healthcare services for low income, uninsured, and underinsured patients with HIV/AIDS and to train the next generation of dental providers to deliver specialized care to people with HIV/AIDS.

Funding is provided by defraying a portion of unreimbursed dental care costs incurred by ECMC by treating low income, uninsured, and underinsured people with HIV/AIDS because the hospital is an accredited dental education program recognized by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Up to 56 grants were awarded by HRSA for this purpose to accredited programs nationwide.

“We are grateful for this grant from HRSA,” said dentist Jennifer Frustino, director of oral cancer screening and diagnostics, division of oral oncology and maxillofacial prosthetics at ECMC. “These funds will enable ECMC to provide access to critically important oral healthcare services to those HIV/AIDS patients who may not have the resources otherwise.  The clinical training component of this grant will increase the number of dentists qualified to administer the specialized care necessary for this vulnerable patient population.”

The ECMC department of dentistry has a strong collaborative relationship with ECMC’s YOU Center for Wellness (formerly the Immunodeficiency Services Center). This relationship supports timely, comprehensive oral care for individuals with HIV/AIDS.

Patients do not need to receive care at the YOU Center to be seen for oral healthcare at ECMC. ECMC dentists are highly specialized in treating individuals with HIV/AIDS.  They provide comprehensive oral healthcare including preventive, restorative, prosthetic, and implant dentistry.