December 8, 2017
The Ohio Dental Association Foundation recently awarded a $3,000 grant to TriHealth’s Good Samaritan Free Health Center in Cincinnati through its fundraising arm, Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation.
The Free Health Center provides primary, specialty and dental care as well as behavioral health and support services to medically uninsured adults in Hamilton County. Care is provided primarily by a large network of volunteer health care professionals and community members, including volunteer dentists.
The Free Health Center plans to utilize the ODA Foundation grant to purchase supplies for the dental clinic thereby increasing program capacity in 2018 to offer more dental appointments.
“Taking care of our patients holistically is the primary goal of the Good Samaritan Free Health Center, and dental care is part of an individual’s physical well-being,” says Linda Smith-Berry, Executive Director of Good Samaritan Free Health Center. “In our community, adults with lower incomes are more likely to report poor oral health and to delay dental care. Because of the support from the ODA Foundation, we are able to expand our dental services to meet this need and integrate those services into an overall continuum of care, improving both oral and overall health.”
In 2017, the ODA Foundation awarded more than $125,000 in grants and scholarships, the highest amount awarded in any single year of the Foundation’s history.
The Ohio Dental Association Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Ohio Dental Association and is committed to a mission of improving the oral health of the citizens of Ohio and enhancing the dental profession in the state. ODA Foundation grants help increase access to dental care by supporting community oral health programs in Ohio. In addition to grants, the ODA Foundation also provides scholarships to Ohio dental students.