Tuesday, May 13, 2025
5/13/2025
Ryan White Title III HIV Capacity Development and Planning Grants - Project Title: Part C Capacity Building – Dental Expansion Applicant Organization: The Wright Center for Community Health 501 S. Washington Ave., Suite 1000 Scranton, PA 18505-3814 www.TheWrightCenter.org Project Director Name: Shane L. Cobert, coberts@thewrightcenter.org Mobile 570.904.7465, Direct 570.591.5127, Office 570.941.0630 Request of Grant Funds: $113,874 The Wright Center for Community Health (TWCCH) is a Health Resources and Services Administration recognized Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike providing integrated primary health services inclusive of physical, dental, mental, behavioral, addiction and Ryan White health services to over 50,000 patients from both urban and rural regions of Northeastern Pennsylvania. In December of 2019, TWCCH relocated its Ryan White Specialty Clinic from a stand-alone site in Scranton to a new and fully integrated primary care practice in the city’s South Scranton neighborhood, helping to decrease stigma associated with seeking care and positioning the clinic near the city’s downtown hub of retail, transportation, finance and business activity. TWCCH is applying for this grant and is selecting the category of Infrastructure Development as it relates to integrating Primary Care with Oral Health. The equipment purchased through the grant funding will include a handheld X-ray machine (NOMAD) that will allow us to quickly take an X-ray when a patient reports dental problems what at their medical visit, an upgrade for the panoramic X-ray machine for better diagnostic capabilities, and a titanium digital X-ray sensor that captures high-quality images. The supplies purchased with the funding include a supreme aluminum portable patient chair for pop-up dental clinics, an ultra- sonic cleaner, dental suction mirrors, and other dental hygiene instruments and supplies that are detailed in the budget narrative. This equipment is portable, lightweight, and easy to set up. This equipment can be used for pop-up clinics, on the mobile unit, or if the patient needs immediate dental care with no dental operatory available. Monthly hygiene pop-up clinics will be scheduled through outreach directly to our patients. Currently, of the 492 active patients in the Ryan White Program, 60% or 296 patients are receiving dental care at this location, this is an increase of almost 50% in one year as only 150 were receiving dental care at this location. This indicates the co-located service is convenient and accommodating. The reception desk is the same for dental services and Ryan White services so dental appointments can be scheduled with ease. Many positive accolades have been received from Ryan White patients about the friendly, understanding, caring staff providing services in the dental clinic. Previously, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) were treated poorly or denied services at other dental practices in the local community. The goal would be for all 492 patients to receive dental care at TWCCH.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).