Healthy Smiles Day: Free checkups to adults without dental insurance

Nov. 27, 2024

Healthy Smiles Day: Free checkups to adults without dental insurance

MORGANTOWN — As Thanksgiving approaches, MCHD Dentistry continues the tradition of giving back to the community with Healthy Smiles Day, which provides a free cleaning and checkup for adults 18 years and older who do not have dental insurance.
As usual, the event is held on the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, Nov. 27. It’s a day that Monongalia County Health Department is open but not usually busy in terms of regular dental appointments, so it’s a great time to offer these services, said program manager Dr. Youseph Kassar.
Appointments for Healthy Smiles Day 2024 have been filled. The media is invited to cover Healthy Smiles Day. A time to visit can be coordinated with public information officer Mary Wade Burnside by calling 304-598-5152 or emailing MaryWade.Burnside@wv.gov.
MCHD Dentistry created Healthy Smiles Day in 2019, and, in spite of the COVID pandemic, saw 24 patients in 2020, and then 30 in 2021, 26 in 2022 and 30 in 2023. Thirty is the same number of patients who are scheduled for this year.
The event was created before Medicaid began providing up to $1,000 annually in dental benefits to adult patients, which has now changed to $2,000 in a two-year period.
“A couple of years ago, we were unsure if the new Medicaid benefit for adult patients would mean fewer patients taking advantage of Healthy Smiles Day, but that was not the case,” Kassar said. “I guess it shows there’s still a need for patients who are being left behind.”
Patients will receive a cleaning and checkup and, if needed, they also might be able to get same-day restorative work performed, depending on the time required and other circumstances.
The addition of a new dentist, Dr. Kayla Courtney, will help with the patient load and make restorative work even more likely, Dr. Kassar said.
More than 1 in 4 (26%) adults in the United States have untreated tooth decay. Also, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of all adults ages 30 or older show signs of gum disease; severe gum disease affects about 9% of adults. Adults who have a low income, have less than a high school education and are current smokers are two times more likely to have untreated cavities than comparison groups, the CDC states.
If left untreated, cavities and gum disease lead to tooth loss, which can affect quality of life, including nutrition.
Gum disease also increases the risk of having bacterial infection in the bloodstream, which can damage heart valves. The American Heart Association notes that research has shown a connection between heart disease and periodontal disease, the symptoms of which include gum infection, gum inflammation and tooth damage.
MCHD Dentistry is the only full-service dental practice located within a West Virginia health department. Services include cleanings, exams, oral health education, oral cancer screenings, digital X-rays, dental sealants, mouth guards, simple extractions, root canals, bridges, same-day crowns, implants, dentures and partials, custom bleaching trays, cosmetic bonding, porcelain veneers and Invisalign tooth straightening.