A dental cleaning is performed. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Mariah Haddenham)

MARQUETTE — Qualifying adults without dental insurance who live in the Upper Peninsula now have an option to receive a dental exam free of charge.

This is due to the recent creation of the U.P. Friendly Smile Fund, as the Superior Health Foundation donated $5,000 to the Marquette County Health Department and My Community Dental Centers to provide exams through the fund, officials said.

“We want this fund to improve access for uninsured adults seeking dental care by reducing or eliminating the $39 initial fee to establish a dental home for dental care and treatment,” Jerry Messana, health officer of the Marquette County Health Department said in a press release, adding that patients will be asked to contribute $10 for the visit, but “no patient will be turned away if they are unable to contribute.”

The U.P. Friendly Smile Fund aims to help connect adults with dental services by covering the cost of the initial exam, X-rays and the development of a dental treatment plan. Adult residents of the U.P. who can verify their income is less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level or less and do not have dental insurance are eligible, organizers said.

“It’s opening the door for them to have that first initial exam with a dentist, any X-rays they need, and then to sit down with a dentist and look at a treatment plan,” said Rebecca Maino, dental health coordinator at Marquette County Health Department. “And I think a lot of people are afraid that there’s going to be a lot wrong, but the vast majority of the time, they really maybe just need a cleaning and a few fillings, so what this fund will do, it will take care of that first initial fee with that exam and just (help them) to find out what’s going on.”

Once a patient “gets in the door,” Maino said staff can help them determine what kinds of dental plans assistance they may qualify for through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services or My Community Dental Centers, as MCDC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that offers income-based dental plans and sliding fee scales for those who don’t have insurance, she said.

“There are services and assistance out there, so this would be a way for them to find that out, which is wonderful, because, for instance, My Community Dental Centers, they have different financial assistance plans for people in need,” Maino said. “So once they get in there, they can say: ‘well if you do fall in this range, you would qualify for this plan or assistance or help.'”

The centers served nearly 5,400 people in the U.P. during 2018, with more than half of clients utilizing Medicaid or the Healthy Michigan Plan, and around 7 percent using MCDC’s plan for uninsured paitents, organizers said.

It’s important to provide resources for adults to receive on-going dental care, Maino said, as regular care can help prevent future dental health problems.

“Oral health is so important to your overall health and if you can stop a small problem early in dentistry, it will not become as severe, it’s not as painful, it’s not as costly,” she said. “It’s so important to visit your dentist regularly and do your daily oral hygiene habits: brushing, flossing, fluoride rinses, watch your diet, not a lot of sugary drinks and sticky foods — and if you’re taking care of your teeth and you have children and children see you value that, they will value it too as they grow up.”

The program, which is being offered for the first time this year, has funds to serve an estimated 125 to 150 adults in the U.P., she said, noting they wanted to run the program as a pilot project this year so they can assess the level of need in the area for future programming.

“(We wanted) to see what type of response we get, to check and see if there is a great need and then we can possibly look in to further financial assistance if this takes off,” she said.

Maino looks forward to seeing the fund serve the community, she said, noting that she believes the partnership between the Marquette County Health Department, the Superior Health Foundation and My Community Dental Centers will be beneficial in addressing unmet dental needs for adults in the area.

“it’s nice to work with different organizations because then you can see and find the different needs out there in the community and then put our focus together and work as a team,” Maino said.” I think you do a lot better service and I think you’re able to reach many more people that way.”

MCDC’s Marquette office can be reached at 906-226-9902. MCDC’s office in Spalding is located at 16088 Balsam Lane and can be reached at 906-497-4220. The Engadine office is located at W14034 Melville St.

New patients who wish to use the U.P. Friendly Smile Fund can call 877-313-6232 and mention the U.P. Friendly Smile Fund to register, organizers said.

Visit mydental.org for more information on locations, dental plans and services available.

For those who have Medicaid or MIChild, MCDC also accepts those plans.