Healthy Smiles receives $50,000 grant | Journal-news

MARTINSBURG — The Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health recently gave $1 million in grants to local nonprofits in West Virginia, a grant cycle to fund multiple projects aimed at improving health care needs for West Virginians.

In the Eastern Panhandle, Shenandoah Community Health, for the benefit of Healthy Smiles Community Oral Health Center, was a recipient of $50,000 of the grant money.

“Highmark’s new West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health is excited to provide critical funding to support West Virginia-based health and social-service organizations, particularly those that address the social determinants of health and oral care for West Virginia families,” said Jim Fawcett, president of Highmark West Virginia, in the official press release. “We are looking forward to seeing the positive impact these grant funds will make to support the well-being of our community through this funding.”

Announced this past spring, the West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health is a new funding extension of the Highmark Foundation and was established to specifically address and improve the health, well-being and quality of life for individuals who live in West Virginia, according to the press release.

Tina Burns, director of resource development for Shenandoah Community Health, facilitated the grant for Shenandoah Community Health to benefit Healthy Smiles Community Oral Health Center.

“This grant will increase the number of pediatric patients who live in the Eastern Panhandle region, as it will create access for the community to needed dental care at Healthy Smiles Community Oral Health Center,” Burns said. “While a focus of Healthy Smiles’ practice is to provide care for children, they accommodate as many adults as scheduling allows. Current staffing includes three dentists and five dental hygienists, with a fourth dentist expected to join the practice later in the year.”

Equipment to be purchased through the Highmark grant includes two Dexis Pediatric sensor kits, Elipar Deepcure curing lights, a Photon-3-watt diode laser, Endodontic system, KaVo NOMAD X-ray system and Midmark L/R Ultra Trim chair with components.

“As a community health center, this grant from Highmark Foundation is a blessing to the Eastern Panhandle community. The Highmark Foundation generosity helps us enhance patient-centered care and make a possible difference in our patients’ lives,” Dr. Jeremy Richardson, dental director at Healthy Smiles, said. “It will allow us to provide continuous routine and new elective dental procedures to our underserved population, who, until now, would have not been able to be treated here at our clinic. This grant will facilitate us in providing care for our continued growth of pediatric patients, which is our mission at Healthy Smiles.”

According to Burns, despite COVID restrictions on scheduling and the need to make equipment and space modifications to ensure the safety of patients and staff, almost 5,000 primarily low-income patients received care in 2020.

Additionally, of Healthy Smiles’ patients who reported income, 96% were at or under 200% of federal poverty level, and 73% were at or below 100% of FPL.

“Those under 200% of FPL are eligible for a sliding fee scale, important for those who are uninsured or who have insurance with high deductibles. Of the 2020 payor mix, 20% were uninsured, 65% had Medicaid or CHIP, Medicare 3% and other insurance 12%. SCH serves all patients — regardless of their ability to pay. For those with limited resources, a payment plan may be arranged,” Burns said. “Highmark’s grant investment will have a long-term impact, as the funds will be used to upgrade outmoded equipment and add new equipment to expand availability of procedures. We expect that efficiencies achieved with new equipment and the capacity to provide more in-house procedures will increase the number of pediatric and adult patients who have access to oral health care.”

Shenandoah Community Health provides primary care, women’s health and behavioral health at its offices in Martinsburg and Winchester; behavioral health services in Charles Town and Berkeley Springs; and oral health care in Martinsburg.

The Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health’s next grant application cycle is targeted for this fall. Interested nonprofit organizations are encouraged to watch for additional communications and announcements by checking the Highmark Foundation’s website at www.highmarkfoundation.org.

For more information about Shenandoah Community Health, visit www.shencommhealth.com. For information about Healthy Smiles, visit www.shencommhealth.com/oral-healthcare.