Submitted photo
Sand Bryant of Care Source, left, and Carrie Massie Program Director of CAO Dental Center holding replica of $10,000 check received by the center from Care Source.
Submitted photo
Misty Scalf with new patient light purchased with grant funds.
Portia Williams
PDT Staff Writer
The Community Action Dental Center recently received $15,500 in grants from the Care Source Foundation and Scioto County Foundation.
Carrie Massie, Program Director of the CAO Dental Center, utilized the grants by upgrading the facility’s equipment.
“We received a $10,000 grant from Care Source Foundation to update our computer and network capabilities, so we have ordered our computers, and are waiting for them to arrive,” Massie said.
According to Massie, the CAO Dental Center also received another grant from the Scioto Foundation in the amount of $5,500.
“We had a patient light in the hygiene room that needed to be replaced, so with the money from the Scioto County Foundation, we were able to replace the light,” Massie said.
Massie said the center had reached their limit for repairing the patient light.
“When the gentleman fixed the light for us last fall, he told us that would be the last time that he would be able to repair it, that we were in dire need of a new one,” Massie said.
In addition to the new computers and patient light, Massie said the center purchased a new vacuum pump system.
“This grant money also enabled us to get a new dual vacuum system, it is the power source for all of the tools in the room,” Massie said. “One motor on the dual vac was not functioning, so we could only flip on one side,” Massie said.
As with the patient light, Massie said the center had reached their limit on repairing the vacuum pump system.
“It is the same situation with the vacuum pumps, if they are not working, we can’t help anybody, we cannot do any work on on anybody. The vacuum pump runs everything, the air water syringes, the motor that the doctor uses to take care of peoples teeth,” Massie said.
Massie said the grants have been a tremendous help to the clinic.
“We have been very fortunate to receive these two grants, they were greatly needed,” Massie said.
Massie said the upgrading of their computers will improve efficiency of their operations.
“With faster computers we will have less down-time, which allow things to run more smoothly,” Massie said.
According to Massie, the center treats an average of 30 patients per day. She said the center saw 4,000 patients in about 7,800 visits in 2012.
“If patients want to see if they qualify for a reduced fee, they must bring in proof of gross household income, such as pay stubs,” Massie said.
The CAO Dental Center is located in the Carousel Center at 1112 Gallia Street in Portsmouth. The center is open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Friday. For care, patients must call to make an appointment at 740-351-0880.
Portia Williams may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 286 or portiawilliams@civitasmedia.com. For breaking news, follow Portia on Twitter @ PortiaWillPDT.
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