HealthLink Dental Winter/Spring 2021 Newsletter

HealthLink Turns 20!
AS WE SAY GOODBYE TO 2020, which
proved to be a particularly challenging
year, HealthLink Dental Clinic is excited to
welcome in the new year by celebrating the
organization’s 20th anniversary!
Act was introduced. With health insurance
more affordable and accessible to a larger
population of community members, and
the existence of two additional free medical
clinics in Bucks County, HealthLink’s Board
of Directors made the strategic decision
to focus the organization’s efforts and
resources solely on providing dental care
and oral health education.
FEBRUARY 2021 1
healthlinkdental.org
FEBRUARY is
National Children’s
EVENTS
Dental Health
Month!
HAPPENING NOW!
Philanthropist and humanitarian Eugene
Jackson recognized a need to provide
accessible medical and dental care to
working, uninsured adults and “bridge
the gap” between qualifying for Medicaid
coverage and having the ability to afford
healthcare coverage. In 1999, Mr. Jackson
began planning for HealthLink, modelling
it after the Volunteers in Medicine clinic in
Chester County, and in April 2001 the doors
to the organization’s medical clinic opened.
In August of that same year, the dental
clinic saw its first patients.
Over the next 15 years the healthcare
landscape changed dramatically, Medicaid
was expanded, and the Affordable Care
Since 2001, HealthLink has provided
services to nearly 25,000 patients
through almost 32,000 appointments.
There continues to be a great need in our
community for affordable access to dental
care, and HealthLink provides services to
thousands of low-income, working adults
and U.S. military veterans living in either
Bucks or Montgomery County each year.
In honor of HealthLink’s 20th anniversary,
the organization has a number of exciting
and new initiatives to roll out including a
series of broadcast and print public service
announcements featuring “the voice of
the Philadelphia Eagles” Merrill Reese as
well as the most famous dental expert of
them all…the Tooth Fairy! The Tooth Fairy
will also participate in a family-centered
educational outreach program to celebrate
good oral health habits called Project
Tooth Fairy. Visit healthlinkdental.org
regularly for more information on these
initiatives and other exciting anniversary
announcements.
HealthLink launches
Project Tooth Fairy
Sign-up opens to request videos
from the Tooth Fairy for lost teeth,
upcoming or successful dentist
appointments, and reminders to
practice good oral health. Visit www.
healthlinkdental.com/projecttoothfairy
for more information.

HealthLink Launches a
Fairy Exciting
New Program
HealthLink
Temporarily Expands
Patient Eligibility
Requirements to
Help Those Affected
by COVID-19
Starting in February, in honor of National
Children’s Dental Health Month, HealthLink
is joining forces with the most famous dental
expert of them all…the Tooth Fairy to launch
Project Tooth Fairy, a community oral health
education initiative geared towards children
and families.
Losing a tooth is a huge milestone in any
child’s life, and the memory of hiding a
tooth under your pillow and finding a treat
in its place in the morning lasts a lifetime.
HealthLink wants to makes those memories
all the more special with video messages from
the Tooth Fairy herself. Parents of children
who lose a tooth, are nervous about visiting
the dentist, have a good dentist appointment,
or need a reminder to brush their teeth more
often can request a video message from the
Tooth Fairy celebrating the milestone that will
be delivered via a personalized email.
In addition to the video message, each child
will receive a year-long membership to the
Tooth Fairy Fan Club, with perks that include:
a personalized care package with a letter
from the Tooth Fairy, a signed photograph of
the Tooth Fairy, a tooth brush, toothpaste, and
coloring/activity sheets. Each child will also
receive a personalized email three months
after they’ve received the care package to
remind them to change their toothbrush.
The goal of Project Tooth Fairy is to create
special memories while providing oral health
education to entire families. Children who
establish good oral health habits are more
likely to continue those habits into adulthood,
which can help to prevent many dental issues
over a lifetime.
Interested in requesting a
video from the Tooth Fairy
for a special child in your life?
Visit www.healthlinkdental.org/
projecttoothfairy and fill out the request
form so that we can personalize the
experience. Each video request is $15.
For every video purchased, a child of a
HealthLink patient or a child in need who is
referred to HealthLink by one of the various
local partner organizations will receive a
video and Tooth Fairy Fan Club membership
free of charge. All proceeds from Project
Tooth Fairy will help fund HealthLink’s
continued community outreach and oral
health education as well as dental services
provided to qualifying adults.
Health Link Dental Clinic is a 501c 3 nonprofit organization providing free dental services to low-income,
working adults and military veterans living in Bucks County and Montgomery County.
THE PROFOUND IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC and, in turn, the economic
fallout has been widespread. The effects that social distancing, the partial
economic shutdown, and state-wide restrictions in Pennsylvania have had
on the labor market have been easy to spot — with a large increase in the
unemployment rate since March of 2020.
Typically, HealthLink requires individuals who are not U.S. military
veterans to be employed in some capacity in order to be eligible to receive
services from the organization. However, HealthLink’s Board of Directors,
recognizing both the importance of access to dental care as well as the
financial hardships that the pandemic has created has voted unanimously
to offer services to individuals who meet all of the other eligibility
requirements but have lost their jobs as a result of COVID-19.
These changes are currently in effect and will remain until May 31,2021,
when the staff and board will re-evaluate the need. Applicants will still need
to meet HealthLink’s other eligibility requirements including that they are
age 18 or older; must not have any form of dental insurance; must reside in
either Bucks or Montgomery Counties; and must live in a household with an
annual income at or below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Interested individuals can confidentially see if they qualify by visiting
healthlinkdental.org/become-a-patient or calling 215.364.4247.
If you answer
“yes” to these
questions, you
may qualify for
free dental care
Are you
18 years of age
or older?
Do you live in
Bucks or
Montgomery
County?
Are you or your
spouse / domestic
partner employed
(full-time, part-time,
or seasonally)?
Call now to schedule an
eligibility appointment:
(215) 364-4247
Does your
household earn
within 250% of the
Federal Poverty
Guidelines?
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TOTAL
PATIENTS
1,241
VALUE OF
SERVICES
PROVIDED
$422,014
63
DENTAL
STUDENTS
FROM
Temple University, Manor College, and
Montgomery County Community College
gained hands-on experience
at HealthLink through clinical rotations
2020
IMPACT
REPORT
PATIENTS
APPOINTMENTS
SERVICE$
VOLUNTEERS
STUDENTS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rick James
PRESIDENT
David Dotson
TREASURER
George Dempster, Esq.
SECRETARY
Bernard Dishler, DDS
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Deborah Hedrick
Christine Kaiser
Michael Motte
Jo Ann Allen Nyquist
TOTAL
APPOINTMENTS
1,488
17
DENTAL
VOLUNTEERS
PROVIDED
725.5 HOURS
OF SERVICE
TOTAL
PATIENTS
10,807
In 2015, due to many factors, HealthLink shifted its model to solely
focus on dental care. These numbers reflect the impact the organization
has had since reopening as HealthLink Dental Clinic.
NEW PATIENT
EXAMS
1,364
XRAYS
3,035
EXTRACTIONS
1,151
IMPACT
SINCE 2016
A N D
EXCLUSIVELY DENTAL
VALUE OF
SERVICES
PROVIDED
$4,141,696
CLEANINGS
AND
DEEP CLEANINGS
5,654
TOTAL
APPOINTMENTS
14,330
CROWNS
258
FILLINGS
7,030
ROOT CANALS
491
2020 was an unbelievably challenging year, and everyone found themselves
dealing with more problem situations than we ever thought possible.
One of the shining lights throughout the year was the resiliency that was
shown by individuals, businesses, and organizations.
HealthLink experienced a number of challenges due to the global health crisis.
The clinic was only open for 10 weeks at full capacity in 2020 and was closed
completely for 3 months. Additionally, once HealthLink was able to reopen
individuals were less likely to seek dental care unless it was an emergency.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE & SUPPORT
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Ask a Dentist!
Jessica Scordamaglia, DDS
attended the Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple University.
She is currently a dentist at Dental Excellence of Hatfield and is
the President of the Montgomery Bucks Dental Society.
Meet HealthLink’s
New Board President
HealthLink is pleased to announce that Rick James has stepped into the role of
President of the Board of Directors! As he takes over the helm from Dr. Bernard
Dishler, a dedicated leader who spent the past six years in that leadership position,
we invite you to learn a little more about Rick.
Q: Is it safe to go to the dentist
right now?
A: That’s a great question! As always
you should feel very safe seeing your dentist.
Dentists have continued to use infection
control and sterilization techniques and to
wear personal protective equipment (PPE)
that are mandated by the State Board of
Dentistry since before the pandemic started.
After COVID-19 became our new reality, PPE
use has been upped to include respirator N95
masks and other protective gear or equipment
such as disposable gowns, face shields, and air
purifiers. This helps to keep both you and your
dentist’s office safe. Also know that dentists
and their dental team are required to take
continuing education that helps them stay up
to date on the latest protocols. In addition,
if your dentist is a member of the ADA you
can be sure that they are getting direct and
continual access to the latest research, data,
and guidelines available.
Q: With all the other current
health concerns due to the
pandemic, is it important
to go to the dentist for
non-urgent appointments
such as cleanings?
A: Many patients have avoided seeing the
dentist for routine care but I strongly advise
against this. It is recommended to continue
seeing your dentist for preventative care and
to keep your appointments including cleanings
up to date. Not doing so could result in serious
issues such as periodontal disease or dental
infection going unseen that may require an
emergency appointment that will cost you
extra time, headache, and cost that no one
needs or wants during a pandemic. Lastly,
if you still have any concerns, I advise that
you contact your dental office directly so that
they may help answer any questions you may
have.
HealthLink Dental Clinic is proud to partner with the Mongomery Bucks Dental Society to provide
education and resources to dental professionals and the community as a whole. If you have a question
you’d like answered by a dentist, please email it to jsalisbury@healthlinkdental.org. Your questions
may appear in our newsletters, social media posts, and on our website but we won’t post your name
(unless you want us to)!
SAFETY is
HealthLink’s
#1
Priority!
The environment has changed for dental offices, but at
HealthLink Dental Clinic we take every precaution to keep our volunteers,
patients, and staff healthy and safe during dental appointments:
New extraoral suction machines
and HEPA air filters are in every
operatory to remove aerosols.
Patients are screened for symptoms
and exposure before their
appointment and immediately
before entering the clinic.
The clinic has a sufficient inventory
of enhanced PPE.
The number of people in the clinic
at any time is limited.
Increased sanitizing and disinfecting
takes place after every appointment
and throughout the day.
Q: How did you first
get involved at the
HealthLink?
A: I was leaving the corporate
world and was looking for a way to
get more involved in the community
and saw that HealthLink was seeking
a volunteer for the Board’s finance
committee. Based on my experience
in finance at Aetna and Prudential I
believed I could be of assistance.
Q: Why do you volunteer at
the HealthLink?
A: It is a known fact that oral
health can have a significant impact
on a person’s overall health, so it’s a
good feeling to know our free services
help those less fortunate in our
community in many ways.
Q: How has volunteer
work had an impact
on your life?
A: Beyond the good feeling of
helping others I feel you learn to
appreciate more the good things in
your own life.
Q: What advice would
you give to those
considering volunteering
their time or donating a
gift to the clinic?
A: There’s no time like the
present!
Q: What are you most
excited about as you
step into the role of
board president?
A: The opportunity to increase
the community’s awareness of the
services and value we offer and
to increase the number of people
we assist.
Q: What has surprised you
most about working
with HealthLink?
A: As HealthLink enters its
20th year of service it was great to
find that we have delivered close to
30,000 free appointments worth
more than $5 million of care!
Q: What do you do when
you’re not volunteering?
A: I enjoy cycling and the history
of our area which led me to start a
bike tour business (Encore Rides)
that combines both of these on rides
through Bucks and Hunterdon
Counties.
Q: What is a fun fact
about yourself?
A: Based on my name, many
people are expecting to see the “super
freak”, punk rock singer from the
1960s and 70s.
If you have an interest
in volunteering at
HealthLink and becoming
a member of one of the
various board committees
or would like to be
considered for a seat on
the Board of Directors,
please contact Raquel
Braemer at (267) 699-
0122 or rbraemer@
healthlinkdental.org.
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PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
DOYLESTOWN, PA
PERMIT 13
1775 Street Road
Southampton, PA 18966
Clinic: 215.364.4247
Fax: 215.791.1907
healthlinkdental.org
WAYS TO GIVE
DONATE
Online—You can make a safe and secure gift
online by visiting www.healthlinkdental.org.
By Mail—Fill out the enclosed envelope and
return it to HealthLink to make your gift.
Monthly Giving—Sign up online at
www.healthlinkdental.org to make a monthly
gift to HealthLink.
Matching Gifts—Many companies will
match gifts made by their employees.
Check with your employer to see if they will
double the impact of your gift. HealthLink is
happy to fill out any required paperwork.
Leave a Lasting Impression—There are
many opportunities to include HealthLink in
your estate plans. For more information on
what your planned giving options are call
Jenny Salisbury at (267) 699-0122.
Spread the Word—Help create some buzz
around HealthLink during our anniversary
year. Tell everyone you know about us and
make sure to send potential volunteers and
patients our way!
WE NEED YOU!
HealthLink Dental Clinic needs
licensed, professional dentists to
donate their time and talent by
volunteering to serve our patients.
Dentists can volunteer once a week or once a month at the
clinic located at 1775 Street Road in Southampton, Pennsylvania.
HealthLink utilizes Dentrix Enterprise and state of the art
equipment in our operatories. Clinic staff and volunteers pride
themselves in providing quality, compassionate care in a warm,
inviting environment.
HealthLink is a standalone dental clinic that provides no-cost
oral services to low-income, working adults and military veterans
that live in Bucks County and Montgomery County. Preventative
and restorative dental care is provided Monday through Friday,
with evening hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Our patients need your help more than ever.
If you are interested in becoming part of the team of
volunteer dentists at HealthLink Dental Clinic, you are
encouraged to complete the brief application online
at www.healthlinkdental.org/volunteer. If you
have questions or concerns about volunteering,
you can contact Bela Amado at bamado@
healthlinkdental.org or (267) 699-0126.
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FEBRUARY 2021 : healthlinkdental.org