Senior Smiles: How a Grant Program Delivers Dentures from Dental Students
A New Lease on Life: How a School of Dentistry is Transforming Seniors’ Smiles with Dentures
January 07, 2025
Discover the remarkable initiative that is changing the lives of seniors in need of dentures. Dive into the story in the latest issue of “CATALYST” magazine.
Photo: Mark Brennan, DDS, MS, clinical assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, works on patient Scott Phenicie while student Stephen Brockbank observes. Photo by Matthew D’Agostino
At 60, Scott Phenicie faced a daily struggle, having lost most of his teeth. His meals became a game of cut and swallow, limiting him to a bland menu where a juicy steak was nothing more than a distant fantasy.
But at the age of 62, Scott’s culinary dreams became a reality. Thanks to the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, he received the dental care he desperately needed, allowing him to savor the flavors of life once again—starting with a mouthwatering T-bone steak, courtesy of a thoughtful friend.
Through the Delta Dental Patient Care Program for Seniors, Scott accessed the dentures he couldn’t afford. “I appreciate this. I’ve had a lot of compliments so far,” he exclaimed, beaming with pride.
This groundbreaking program, initiated in August 2023, is a response to a new state law that expanded Medicaid dental benefits for adults. However, the law leaves many seniors in a lurch: dentures for those over 21 are still excluded from the Maryland Healthy Smiles Dental Program.
To bridge this gap, the University of Maryland School of Dentistry secured a generous $150,000 grant from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation. This initiative specifically targets Medicaid patients aged 60 and above who require full or partial dentures. The program handles the billing with the state plan for covered procedures, while the grant covers the remaining costs.
For many low-income Marylanders, dentures remain a luxury they simply cannot afford. In UMSOD clinics, a complete set of dentures runs about $2,000—a price that could easily double elsewhere. “You have someone who isn’t making that much from Social Security every month. They just don’t have that kind of money,” remarked Robert Windsor, DDS, FICD, the program’s overseer.
Windsor, who leads the Clinical Operations Division of General Dentistry at UMSOD, is keen on sharing success stories and data to support future research efforts.
The importance of this program is underscored by Maryland’s Office of Oral Health. “Dentures help restore the ability to chew, speak clearly, and smile, which greatly enhances one’s overall health and self-esteem,” stated Debony Hughes, DDS. “This initiative shines a light on the urgent need to expand Maryland’s Medicaid Adult Dental Benefit to include these vital services.”
Find out more about this transformative dental program in the latest issue of CATALYST magazine.
Don’t miss the Fall 2024 issue of CATALYST magazine, featuring highlights from the Maryland Carey Law’s Center for Health and Homeland Security, a podcast by recent grad Alena Abraham supporting the visually impaired, and much more!
