Saturday, April 5, 2025
4/5/2025
Ryan White Title III HIV Capacity Development and Planning Grants - KC CARE Health Center (KC CARE) respectfully requests $150,000 for a one-year period to support the purchase and installation of new and updated dental equipment. The equipment KC CARE will purchase will expand the scope and capacity of high-quality dental care available for people with HIV. As almost 50% of Ryan White beneficiaries nationwide are age 50 and above, it is increasingly critical that community health centers like KC CARE grow their capacity to meet the dental needs of people with HIV. This is because the intersections of aging and HIV increase the risk of many dental diagnoses, including periodontitis, oral cancers, and the need for dental crowns. KC CARE will, foremost, purchase the equipment needed to introduce endodontic care. Equipment will also include an intraoral scanner, which will allow providers to take rapid 3D images of patients’ mouths to fabricate dentures and crowns. A 3D printer will support the on-site production of dentures, surgical guides, nightguards, and other dental appliances. An extraoral panoramic scanner capable of taking 2D and 3D images will rapidly produce images needed for accurate endodontic diagnoses. Images from the intraoral and extraoral scanners can be overlaid with one another, showing soft and hard tissue together, giving providers a better understanding of patients’ oral healthcare needs. All funded equipment can receive software upgrades in the future to enhance capabilities; vendors expect 3D printers to be able to produce final crown restorations in the near future. Equipment will also integrate with future purchases, such as machines to mill dental crowns. A portable X-ray machine and two dental chairs will allow KC CARE to maximize the potential of our clinical space. This project will also update the equipment needed to take manual impressions of patients’ teeth. The purchase of this equipment includes all necessary accessories, supplies, trainings, delivery, installation, and initial setup. This work will be led by KC CARE’s Chief Dental Officer with the support of her Oral Health Manager, Financial Oral Health Counselor, a team of dedicated dentists, and the support of the Ryan White Project Director. The increased efficiency this equipment brings will support the continued growth of KC CARE’s Oral Health Program, particularly for patients who have HIV. The Chief Dental Officer and Project Director will consistently monitor key indicators to ensure that KC CARE is reaching priority populations, including people who are Black or African American and people who are transgender or nonbinary, and that patients are receiving the care they need and achieving health outcomes.
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).