Brevard County Volunteer Dental Clinic

The Brevard County Volunteer Dental Clinic serves low-income adult clients from diverse populations who require urgent dental care. The program was an outcome of a community-wide effort to stem the tide of uninsured or underinsured adults using local emergency departments for treatment of oral health problems. Statistics showed need for evaluation, treatment and referrals for dental health. Calculations by the program coordinator and the scheduling staff estimate that this program currently meets 50 percent of the need for indigent adult dental care within the county.

The goal of this program is to provide timely intervention and oral health service delivery to the stated population in order to reduce impact on local emergency departments and elevate the oral health care of Brevard's low-income citizens.

Calculations by the program coordinator and the scheduling staff estimate that this program currently meets 50 percent of the need for indigent adult dental care within the county. Between October 1995 and September 1997, over 1300 clients received dental services from approximately 90 volunteer dentists. From March 2002 to March 2003 team efforts resulted in 465 clients receiving services valued at $158,303 during 44 four-hour sessions by 22 volunteer dentists. At present, approximately 96 clients are seen by the volunteer dentists each month. This program has significantly reduced the number of individuals seeking dental care through local emergency departments, thereby decreasing costs to area hospitals and local taxpayers while greatly improving the health of many of the targeted population.