Access to dental care for populations with special needs and low income is a complex bio-psychosocial issue affected by financial situation, general health, transportation needs, psychological well-being as well as weather. According to a report given by a U.S. surgeon general in 2002 the poorest oral health was found in individuals living in poverty and the same populations had difficulties accessing dental care with the most significant financial challenges is being falling into the “Medicaid Gap”: whereby one’s income is more than the Medicaid eligibility levels but is only enough to cater for primary needs like food, shelter, clothing and utilities. In addition many aged people and people with disabilities live on fixed and limited incomes and therefore it is not surprising that such patients for go dental treatment in most cases.

To address the overwhelming dental needs of the underinsured populations in Central Florida, the Dental Care Access Foundation inc. was started. It was founded in 2004 as a non profit organization; in May 2002 a committee of concerned members of the dental Society of Orlando began this foundation and quickly gained support from other non-profit organizations like the Primary Care Access Network (PCAN) which joined the dental professionals in 2003 and offered financial support to the foundation.

The foundations role is to provide access to dental care to populations which are not insured and are disadvantaged economically in the Central Florida. DCAF works by providing a network of professional dentists who have the willingness offer voluntary services to people who are not able get access to dental care in the current state and federal health conditions. Through this foundation, patients without access to dental care due to financial constraints may get donated dental treatment through the network of dental professional offering volunteer services. The patients are screened by the eligibility specialist to determine their eligibility for the cheap dental services and in case of a need for advanced treatment, DCAF is in a position to make arrangements for ancillary and in-kind surgical services. The patients are provided with the services at private dental offices, community based settings as well as at special events.

To increase efficiency of dental agencies in providing care to the needy patients, the foundation coordinates volunteer dentists from the community with the existing agencies in addition to recruiting of licensed volunteer dental professional and support personnel to work in such dental agencies. The foundation also helps in developing future dental care agencies by identifying populations who do not have the current dental service agencies cover.

Critical Relationships

The organization strongly believes that life can be changed through a smile and this keeps it going. In providing its services the foundation works in conjunction with different dental agencies in the central Florida. Such dental organizations include: the Dental Society of Greater Orlando whose members founded the DCAF, primary Care Access Network(PCAN) which provides uninsured population in orange county with medical referral services. The dental care access foundation conducts eligibility interview to indigent patients who need dental services and then refers the patient to the required dental treatment facility. Another one is Hoffner Dental clinic a primary Care Access Network (PCAN) which provides X-rays, extractions, fillings as well as cleaning in case of children. Another agency is the Orange County Dental Research Clinic which offers X-ray services , fillings, extractions partials and full dentures to adult patients on changing scales depending on patients income. Others include Osceola County Health Department, Shepherds Hope, Orange County Health Department, Seminole County Health Department and Osceola County Health Department. DECAF s most operating budget s met with in –kind donations. The start up phase was supported by the PCAN and other financial supporters include the Winter Park Health Foundation among other individual donors.