Minnesota Donated Dental Services (DDS) Program
(taken from the Minnesota DDS Program 3rd Quarter Report)
Hundreds of disabled, elderly or medically compromised individuals throughout Minnesota suffer from seriously neglected dental problems because they cannot afford essential dental care. Medicare does not provide dental benefits and though the state's Medicaid program pays for dental services for adult recipients, access is limited. Few Medicaid recipients, especially adults, ever get dental treatment. Several public health clinics have dental departments, but they generally have lengthy waiting lists and can only provide basic services. As a result, many vulnerable aged or disabled individuals suffer in agonizing pain from severe dental problems and have nowhere to turn for help.
To help some of these individuals, the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped (NFDH) and the Midwest Dental Association (MDA) started a statewide Donated Dental Services (DDS) program in 2003 with funding from the State of Minnesota. Effective July 1, 2005, the Minnesota Department of Health began contracting with the MDA to support the work of the dentists and labs who volunteer through the DDS program. The MDA partners with NFDH to provide these vital services.
The Midwest Dental Laboratory Association (MDLA) has also endorsed the initiative and sent a recruitment letter to its members in November, 2003. As a result, 96 laboratories have volunteered.
If you are interested in volunteering your services to the DDS Program, please contact MDLA Board member Kurt Coykendall, Hopkins Dental Laboratory, 952-938-3545 for additional information.
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