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KCHC gets $300K for a dental clinic
The U.S. Human Resources and Services Administration recently gave the Kagman Community Health Center $300,000 to build a dental clinic.
KCHC has one year to complete the infrastructure project.
This follows the award of another $650,000 grant for KCHC, also from the U.S. Department of Health Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, that will be used to open a health center on Tinian.
The award of a grant to open a dental clinic at KCHC arose out of the results of a survey that KCHC did in 2016, to assess the health needs of the community.
The random survey of 300 Kagman community households showed that 62.2% of respondents did not have a dental cleaning in the past 12 months.
Of the remaining 38% of respondents who did have dental cleaning or dental x-ray procedures done in the past 12 months, only 19% received dental services from the Commonwealth Health Center’s dental clinic. The remaining received half obtained their dental care from private clinics.
As a result of this survey, the KCHC board decided to apply for the oral health infrastructure grant when the funding opportunity became available.
The KCHC board praised KCHC chief executive officer Vince Castro and the KCHC staff for their work in putting together the grant proposal.
“We know that good health comes in part from what we eat and put in our bodies and our mouth is where health begins. … This is why we’re very happy about getting the oral health infrastructure grant,” Castro said.
KCHC is a federally qualified health center that serves all patients regardless of inability to pay. Everyone is welcome, even those that live outside Kagman.
To make an appointment or get more information, contact (670) 256-5242 (KCHC). Walk-ins and same day appointments are welcome, depending on availability. Patients with appointments are given priority to be seen.
