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Community Health Services outlines oral‑health programs; reports school sealants, SDF use and mobile clinics
Summary
Logan Hood and Lisa Westoff presented Community Health Services' oral health program on July 11, detailing mobile clinics, school sealants, silver diamine fluoride (SDF) use and numbers of screenings and treatments delivered across the Roaring Fork Valley.
Logan Hood, executive director of Community Health Services, and Lisa Westoff, regional oral health specialist, presented the organization’s oral‑health services to the Pitkin County Board of Health on July 11. They described a range of programs — Smiles for Seniors, Bright Start Smiles (perinatal and young children), tele‑oral health and Smiles for Students (school‑based services) — and reported recent service volumes and prevention measures.
Why this matters: the presenters emphasized prevention and access for underserved populations. Westoff described silver diamine fluoride (SDF) as a low‑cost, minimally invasive treatment that "remineralizes or rehardens the tooth" and can arrest early cavities; she noted SDF is inexpensive and useful when patients lack access to comprehensive dental care. "It's 5¢ a drop," she said, describing SDF’s affordability for community programs.
Program highlights and numbers presented: - Smiles for Students: the mobile school program reached 16–17 schools this year and screened about 1,070 students; staff applied approximately 1,157 sealants and used SDF on 1,335 teeth across 787 children. They documented about 1,061 teeth with decay during screenings. - Mobile and tele‑oral health clinics (seniors, prenatal and telehealth): 239 appointments reported; 162 patients reported no insurance; SDF was applied to adult cavities (332 teeth treated in that adult cohort). - Smiles for Seniors: low‑cost program with an $85 suggested fee, reduced to $35 for qualifying seniors supported by Pitkin County assistance; staff do cleanings, fluoride varnish and limited exams and will not turn patients away for inability to pay.
Westoff explained program goals include linking patients to a sustainable "dental home" (a long‑term dental provider) and leveraging partnerships (Mountain Family Health for Medicaid patients, school nurses for follow‑up). Program funding sources mentioned: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment oral health unit, Delta Dental Foundation of Colorado and the Healthy Community Fund. Community Health Services bills Medicaid for services when appropriate and avoids billing private insurance for certain school services to prevent disruption of dental benefits.
Ending: Board members praised the program’s innovation and reach. Staff asked that community members and primary‑care partners refer patients in pain or need; presenters said they will continue mobile clinics, school programs and outreach to underserved residents.
