Bridging the gap
Our Baltimore County dental clinic is in full swing
After a long anticipated opening, our Baltimore County clinic now offers dental services every Friday. We spoke with Senior Director of Access Muhammed Mamman to learn more about why Health Care for the Homeless pushed to expand dental, how we partnered to get it done and to get a look into the space itself.
Why add dental to Baltimore County?
We’re expanding dental services into Baltimore County primarily to meet growing demand and improve access. A significant portion of our clients already reside in the county, and we’ve seen consistent waitlists for dental care across our sites. This expansion allows us to bring services closer to where clients are, rather than requiring them to travel into the city.
Why now?
We were able to move forward with the expansion this year thanks to grant funding and a shared clinic model. A strong partnership and MOU with Baltimore County allows us to use an existing dental suite on-site during designated times, creating a more efficient and collaborative care environment. It also enables us to expand services more quickly while maintaining a high standard of care.
What are the barriers to care that clients in Baltimore County face that may be different than in the city?
We’ve heard repeatedly about the difficulty in finding timely, affordable dental care, especially for those with complex needs. In Baltimore County specifically, transportation and provider availability tend to be greater barriers compared to the city. Clients are often more spread out geographically, and public transit options can be limited. Our approach takes this into account by co-locating services in a familiar, trusted setting and aligning scheduling to reduce unnecessary travel burdens.
What dental services are available?
Appointments are available every Friday. As we ramp up, initial care is limited to isolated issues (e.g., single-tooth exams with localized X-ray, fillings, extractions). Clients with prior comprehensive exams can still receive treatment for known issues.
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