Sixteen Oklahoma health centers will be given $3.5 million in Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) funding to expand primary care services, including dental care.
Part of the money will be used to expand dental services at the federally funded Great Salt Plains Health Center in Cherokee, according to an enidnews.com story.
The grants will permit health centers to hire new healthcare providers, stay open longer, and offer new services, such as dental, mental, and behavioral care, as well as pharmacy and vision services.
The money will allow health centers to reach more than 14,700 new patients in Oklahoma; the Great Salt Plains clinic is one of 19 health centers serving nearly 163,000 patients.
Center officials noted that the demand for dental services at the Cherokee clinic is increasing, stating that these centers provide dental services regardless of a patient's ability to pay or insurance coverage.
