Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
In 2021 over 37,500 CDS patients were provided more than 96,000 procedures during over 65,000 visits. These patients included CDS’ target population of children birth age to 26, as well as pregnant women and pregnant people of any age and regardless of income. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Children’s Dental Services opened its doors to all patients, ages 0 to 100 plus, regardless of income or ability to pay. CDS continues to serve patients of all ages as the pandemic continues, thereby diverting emergency cases from hospital-based settings. CDS also continued to implement and expand its school-based dental care program, where dental care was provided for students throughout the school year. CDS continued its program of educational outreach events at over 100 health fairs, presentations, and community events across Minnesota in 2020-2021and provided dental care in over 500 satellite and portable clinic sites throughout the state. Additionally, in 2021, CDS purchased 25 W Superior Street in Duluth, Minnesota that is being renovated to hold a 10-operatory dental hub for Northeastern Minnesota and serve as a model for collaborative community-based dental care.
Current Goals
CDS hopes to continue expanding into areas that were previously inaccessible due to infrastructural and staffing limitations. As CDS grows, it seeks to add staff in key areas of the state, making access to hard-to-reach counties more available. In the coming year, CDS also hopes to expand its program offerings to new and incoming immigrant and refugee communities, including Afghan and Ukrainian refugees, continue to expand school-based dental care programs, and focus care to areas of the state most affected by Opioid Use Disorder. ongoing
Community or Constituency Served
CDS is a significant player in making care available to public program patients In 2021, nearly 90% or approximately 30,000 patients received some sort of Medical Assistance (including Medicare and Medicaid), nearly 7% or more than 2,000 received sliding fee care, about 4% or nearly 1,000 were covered by some sort of private insurance, although those with deductibles higher than $3,000 were considered for sliding scale care if determined income eligible. The patient population to whom these services were targeted is exceedingly diverse, with over 85% representing communities of color. CDS provides oral health outreach and education within schools and community sites across Minnesota. CDS also implements a dental screening and follow up program to school age children. Community members are also involved in CDS via family presentations, focus groups, health fairs and other outreach events. In addition to providing dental care to the underserved, CDS hosts and trains high school and senior interns as part of the Step-Up and Tree Trust groups. CDS also works with over 100 college interns each school year. These interns receive hands-on training and clinical work experiences in addition to medical record keeping, chair side assisting techniques, customer service skills, phone and reception skills, computer training including Open Dental, QuickBooks and Microsoft Office, and public health outreach and screening skills.
CDS fashions its policies in an attempt to serve needy populations as completely as possible, however CDS continues to be limited by financial constraints and a lack of appropriately trained public dental providers to extend its services to those who are often in greatest need: the un- and underinsured.
Medical Assistance payments only cover 40% of the actual cost of dental care in Minnesota, and CDS serves a much higher percentage of uninsured patients than other community clinics, which is why foundation support is desperately needed.
CDS’ target population is low-income children ages birth to 26 and pregnant women and pregnant people, with low-income defined as at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline (FPG). CDS also targets cultural and ethnic minorities, with over 80% of its current patient base comprised of communities speaking English as a second language. As a response to overburdened hospitals and workforce shortages during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, CDS is currently serving adults of all ages as well. CDS' patient makeup as of year-end 2021 was: African American (24%), Caucasian/East European (22%), East African (20%), Hispanic (17%), American Indian (9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (8%).
Geographic Area Served
60 Minnesota Counties, including Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Blue Earth, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Faribault, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Koochiching, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Murray, Nobles, Norman, Otter Tail, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, St. Louis, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wilkin, Wright
