ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Appalachian Mountain Health provides affordable healthcare services at six different locations around western North Carolina. Yesterday, they opened a seventh.
At a ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday, April 18, Appalachian Mountain Health staff and community healthcare leaders formally debuted a new mobile dental care RV at 7 McDowell St.
“We found that the community had a really large need for comprehensive dentistry,” said Dr. Alex Green, chief dental officer for AMH.
AMH is no stranger to mobile care units. Before the introduction of their brick-and-mortar facilities, the healthcare provider offered dental services through mobile vans at housing authority sites. However, mobile units were limited in what they could accomplish.
“Really hard to offer comprehensive dentistry on a mobile unit, so we were able to build out our brick-and-mortar to be much larger to be more accommodating to our patients, while then specializing our mobile unit and making it larger to take on those preventative needs,” Green said.
The new RV is fitted with three dental chairs and x-ray capabilities. The unit will be able to administer care like temporary cavity treatments, dental examinations and sealants.
The RV is currently serving two school sites at Asheville High School and Asheville PEAK Academy with future plans to expand their services to several local pre-k programs.
AMH is set up at their care sites “as often as our partnerships demand,” Green explained.
“Typically, when we’re partnered with a school like that, but again, because the bus is focused on preventative care, we go out twice a year. So, once every six months,” Green said.
AMH will see around 20 kids a day at each location. The duration of their stay varies on the number of enrollees, but they will always return no more than six months later.
The healthcare provider attempts to make their services as affordable as possible with a sliding pay scale for those who are uninsured and community resources for navigating Medicaid, available by phone at (828) 676-3618 or on the AMH website.
The new RV will dramatically increase the ability of AMH to help neglected communities.
“I am excited for us to finally be able to enter into the communities that have been years without dental services, and come directly into the communities where they can feel safe and begin to build trust, which we know takes time,” said Dr. Shantelle Simpson, president and CEO of AMH. “We’re very excited.”
For more information about AMH, visit their website at www.appalachianmountainhealth.org.