Dental charity preparing for influx of patients
The Union Gospel Mission Dental Clinic in Olympia is preparing for an influx of patients, after Medicaid cuts were announced.
The free clinic currently provides care for 50 patients each week but manager, Linda Barrett, said that members of the staff were bracing themselves for a huge increase in patient numbers, after significant Medicaid cuts were announced. Ms Barrett said that she had no idea how many patients would be in need of treatment but she estimated that there would be a significant increase in demand for free treatment.
The Olympia clinic is currently staffed by over 65 volunteers, but Dr Reginald Lankford, a volunteer dentist, said that the clinic would require a lot more resources in the future. The clinic can no longer depend on the state for help and will instead turn to local churches and individual dentists and hygienists for support.
The Medicaid cuts are affecting many areas of healthcare, including vision and hearing and non-emergency dental care; many people will now struggle to pay for dental treatment and free clinics all over America are expecting a huge increase in demand.
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