Penobscot Community Health Care (PCHC) is pleased to announce that PCHC Dental Center and Downeast Elementary School have partnered to offer students in-school dental care during the school year. Starting this fall, a licensed dentist and registered dental hygienist from PCHC Dental Center will offer preventive care (cleanings, x-rays, exams, sealants, and fluoride) and basic restorative care (fillings and extractions) for students at the school. Dental appointments will be scheduled around the students’ academic schedules in order to minimize disruptions to their school routines.

The project arose out of concern for student access to regular dental care. Out of consideration for parents’ busy work schedules, lack of transportation, or other factors, the decision was made to establish a portable dental clinic in the school to improve access for students. PCHC received grant funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration, as well as Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine to support the program.

Angela Chase, Executive Practice Director, PCHC Dental Center, states, “We are very excited to be given this opportunity to work with the Downeast School, its students and their families. It is our hope to remove some of the barriers to care that face our community.”

Dr. Betsy Webb, Superintendent of Bangor Schools, states, “The Bangor School Department has been working for several years with PCHC to find solutions for students requiring dental care. We are thrilled PCHC was able to secure grant funding to bring a portable dental clinic to the Downeast School in order to serve more students. Quality dental care is critical for one’s wellbeing, which ultimately has an impact on our students’ ability to learn and achieve.”

PCHC Dental Center has skilled and caring staff who work to prevent and treat a range of dental health issues. They will be working with parents and families to enroll students during the Downeast Elementary School’s upcoming open house, as well as with back-to-school paperwork. For more information about the program, please call PCHC Dental Center at 207-992-2152.

About PCHC Dental Center

PCHC Dental Center, at 1048 Union Street, Bangor is the largest public or private dental practice north of Boston, and host to an Accredited Community General Practice Dental Residency. PCHC offers a full range of quality dental services for people of all ages. Using the latest in oral health technology combined with compassionate, knowledgeable staff, PCHC Dental Center focuses not only on preventative care, but offers specialty care for a variety of dental issues.

About Penobscot Community Health Care

Penobscot Community Health Care (PCHC) is a non-profit, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1997 to ensure access to comprehensive and integrated out-patient health care services to people of the greater Bangor area regardless of their ability to pay. Fifteen practices and program service sites in the Bangor area, and in Belfast and Jackman, offer a wide range of services including family medicine, dental, pediatrics, geriatrics, mental health and substance abuse, specialty services, pharmacy and healthcare for the homeless.

PCHC is staffed by more than 700 employees who serve almost 65,000 patients annually. PCHC has received regional and national recognition as a leader among the nation’s Community Health Centers and its practices have earned certifications from the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) for Patient-Centered Medical Home. PCHC is the largest FQHC in Maine and one of the largest and most comprehensive of the 100 FQHCs in New England.