Friends,
Do you have good teeth, a wide open smile and a routine of regular dental care? If so, it might be easy to take dental care for granted. But for many of our neighbors here in Berkshire County, access to dental care is a challenge.
In 2022, CHP is launching #CHPSmile, a multi-year, $6 million project to expand dental and oral health care for thousands of our area residents.
Why is CHP expanding its dental services?
A full 20% of our Berkshire neighbors rely on Medicaid (MassHealth) for their dental care. That's 25,000 people. But only a handful of our region's dental practices accept patients who rely on Medicaid for health coverage. CHP is among these: our practices in North Adams, Pittsfield and Great Barrington together care for about 4,000 patients.
This shortage of options for people covered by Medicaid means that many face long waits for routine dental care. They may have to wait longer to get treatment for dental problems. They may wind up in emergency rooms for dental problems that could be handled in a dental office.
This public health problem is not new. And it's not unique to the Berkshires.
Around the U.S. people with lower incomes face persistent barriers to good dental care. Poor oral health is linked to other problems, including chronic pain, depression, opioid addiction, low self-esteem, employment challenges and poor nutrition. People with better oral health tend to be healthier in general.
To address this inequity, CHP is expanding its existing dental practices in North Adams and Pittsfield in mid-2022.
Later this year, CHP will open a brand new family dental center in Adams, and expansion of our Great Barrington dental office will follow.