Health Center Awarded Funds to Increase Access to Oral Health Services in Calumet

CALUMET, MI – Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center (UGL) was awarded funds to increase access to integrated oral health care services by adding dental services through their Calumet Family Health Center located in Calumet, MI.

According to the 2015 Western Upper Peninsula Health Needs Assessment, 41.3 percent of the region’s adults did not see a dentist in 2015.  An estimated 43 percent had no dental insurance, and 22 percent did not received needed dental care because of the cost.  The number of adults not accessing oral health care services is significantly higher in low-income households.

“When it comes to dental care, preventing problems by seeing a dentist regularly is especially important,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow.  “Expanding these services will help so many families in the UP who don’t have insurance and struggle to pay for dental care.”

This funding will help UGL to meet the oral health needs in the Calumet region.  It will be used to provide oral health care services to adults and children whether or not they have insurance coverage.  UGL will offer discounted rates to eligible patients to significantly reduce the cost of dental visits.

Health and Human Service Secretary, Sylvia M. Burwell announced the award as a part of $156 million in funding that was award to 420 health centers throughout the country.

Secretary Burwell said “The funding we are awarding will reduce barriers to quality dental care for hundreds of thousands of Americans by bringing new oral health providers to health centers across the country.” said Secretary Burwell.

This will be UGL’s second site to offer oral health services. Sawyer Family Health Center located near Gwinn began providing oral health services in December.

UGL is the only health center in the Upper Peninsula to receive this award and is one of only 15 health center in Michigan.