Thousands of Ohioans Helped Through Dental OPTIONS Program
Dr. Nicole Gettings, a Dental OPTIONS provider, and Angela Hutchings, a patient who recently received donated dental care through the Dental OPTIONS Program.
Do you know have it feels to have a patient tell you how life-changing the dental care you provided was to them? How it changed their view of themselves, helped them get a job, or even just made them more comfortable engaging with others? Dr. Nicole Gettings does, thanks to the warm acknowledgement from Angela Hutchings, a patient who recently received donated dental care through the Dental OPTIONS Program.
Hutchings shared “I was extremely impressed with the rapid response after I submitted my application to the Dental OPTIONS Program. I was also pleased with how quickly the program paired me with reputable specialists in order to complete my procedures. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to an oral surgeon by my trusted [OPTIONS] dentist, Dr. Nicole Gettings. The oral surgeon was not initially in the Dental OPTIONS Program, however, he took me on as a patient and successfully completed my procedures beyond my imagination. I am more than grateful for the initiative, the patience and care that went into my experience with Dr. Gettings from start to finish. Her team was more than professional, they treated me like family. I truly hope that the Dental OPTIONS Program continues to advocate for individuals who share similar circumstances.”
Since 1997, the Ohio Dental Association (ODA) and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) have collaborated on the Ohio Partnership To Improve Oral health through access to Needed Services (OPTIONS). The program has provided dental care, both donated and discounted, to 12,541 Ohioans with a total treatment value of $23,055,747 since its inception. The Dental OPTIONS Program serves the elderly, people with disabilities or those with compromising medical conditions, and low-income Ohioans with minimal financial means and/or severe dental needs who do not have dental insurance or qualify for Medicaid.
ODH supports the day-to-day operation of the program and pays lab fees for some patients, while the ODA supports the toll-free telephone number, recruits volunteers and prints promotional materials. The OPTIONS program coordinator handles all the administrative tasks, such as:
Pre-screening patients to determine eligibility.
- Matching the patient to a volunteer dentist to receive care.
- Tracking progress of patients through treatment.
- Reminding patients of dental appointments.
- And arranges for a specialist or dental lab if needed.
As a provider, you agree to:
- Restore the patient to a state of good, functional oral health. You are not committing to providing ongoing care beyond the case you accept.
- Decide the number of patients to see each year and the frequency, the type of patient to see, e.g., an elderly person on a fixed income, a person who works at a low-paying job, a single parent, a person who is disabled, a veteran, etc.
- Decide whether to conduct an initial exam and then decide whether to accept the patient, and whether you will donate or discount care.
Once care is completed, it’s very important that you provide the value of the treatment to the ODH as this is the way you earn CE. Dentists who provide donated treatment are eligible for up to one third of their Ohio State Dental Board biennium CE requirement through volunteer CE (currently a maximum of 10 hours). One hour of clinical volunteer service equates to one credit hour of CE.
The need for more dentists is high. Currently there are volunteer dentists in only 43 of Ohio’s 88 counties. If interested in becoming an OPTIONS provider, visit https://www.oda.org/get-involved/in-your-community/volunteer-for-dental-options/. If you have questions, please contact Judy Wyse, the ODH OPTIONS Program coordinator, at (380) 203-5681or via the toll-free OPTIONS line at (888) 765-6789.
