Good news! The Healthy Kids Dental Program will be expanding to cover four additional counties in Michigan, bringing the number of Healthy Kids Dental counties up from 61 to 65 of the 83 counties in the state. The counties affected are Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo and Oceana, all in West Michigan. The expansion becomes effective Oct. 1. The expansion involved an addition of $4.4 million to the Department of Community Health Dental Services line item. The state allocated an extra $1.5 million in funds, with the balance being provided by the federal government’s Medicaid match. State legislators are completing work this week to finish up the state’s 2011-2012 budget. “Expansion of Healthy Kids Dental to all 83 counties in Michigan remains a top priority of the Michigan Dental Association, and the addition of four more counties into the program is good news for Michigan’s children,” said MDA Executive Director Drew Eason. The 2011-2012 state of Michigan budget also preserves full funding for the adult dental Medicaid program as well as the Donated Dental Services program. Further details on the Healthy Kids Dental expansion for members in the affected counties will be made available on the Department of Community Health website as well as in Medicaid bulletins.
For links to your Annual Session Continuing Education certificate, as well as your course handouts and Annual Session survey, visit the Dental Professionals section of smilemichigan.com.
Michigan dentists participate in a variety of state and community programs that offer low-cost or free dental services to individuals in need. These programs offer help to seniors, low-income individuals, patients on Medicaid, disabled, handicapped or institutionalized individuals, children, and others.
For additional information on the access to care issue, read the report, “A United Voice for Oral Health,” issued by Michigan Access to Oral Health Care Work Group. It reflects the thinking of the broadest group yet assembled to tackle the access problem. Community Dental Programs
United Voice for Oral Health
Public | Dental Professionals | MDA Services | MDA Insurance | FoundationSmile Michigan® is a registered service mark of the Michigan Dental Association
Copyright © 2012 Michigan Dental Association | Contact Us