Sunday, December 8, 2024
12/8/2024
Boston University Henry H. Goldman Dental School 635 Albany Street, Boston MA 02118-2340 Project Director: Matthew Zweig, Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs T: 617-358-8767; email: mzweig@bu.edu; www.bu.edu/dental FY 2024 RWHAP Part F Dental Reimbursement Program Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-24-60 Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) is located on the Boston University Medical Campus. The School’s seven-story building is the center of operations for our clinical, research and educational dental programs. Pre-Doctoral dental students and Post-Doctoral residents, under the supervision of dental faculty, perform a comprehensive range of dental therapies at this facility. GSDM also has a satellite dental clinic, known as the Dental Health Center at 930 Commonwealth Avenue. This facility is based on the main campus of Boston University and is staffed by GSDM residents and a small group of faculty dentists. While the activities within the medical campus are still the heart of GSDM, a hallmark of GSDM’s educational program, is the institution’s commitment to community outreach activities and community based education. By embracing the “school without walls” concept we are able to place our dental students into community based dental settings. Many of these programs treat a population that are at high risk for HIV infection and are recipients of Ryan White CARE Act Funds. In total GSDM has affiliation agreements for the placement of dental students/residents with many community based dental programs in health centers, hospitals and private dental offices in the United States and Canada. Our purpose for this project is to improve access to oral health care services for low income people with HIV, and to train dental students and dental residents to deliver dental care to people with HIV. GSDM continues to collaborate with the Ryan White Dental Program, Boston Public Health Commission, to ensure that people with HIV are able to access oral health services. We provided service to 332 HIV patients during FY22. Our total unreimbursed costs for the period July1, 2022 through June 30, 2023 were $1,221,597.72 GSDM has been a recipient of the HIV Dental Reimbursement Grant since HRSA offered this program. The longevity of our program has allowed time for our existing patients to develop trust in the quality of dental treatment received at this facility. All GSDM patients receive a comprehensive treatment plan, and we have noticed that patients with an established history at GSDM are expressing interest and trust in implementing the recommended comprehensive care. Also, the aging HIV-positive patient pool; as with the general public, require replacements for existing dental appliances that have outlived their usefulness. The replacement of these appliances often requires the fabrication of additional crowns, along with endodontic and periodontal therapies. Due to the complexity of these treatments, these patients are often assigned to the Post-Doctoral Dental Clinics. Boston University Dental School focuses on providing HIV-related oral health education and training to our dental students and residents. Our education and training curricula focus on the provision of comprehensive oral health care for people with HIV. Assignment procedures for patients with HIV are the same as for non-HIV infected patients. The Oral Diagnosis faculty refers and assigns all patients to the appropriate department depending solely on the oral health of the patient. Following our comprehensive care philosophy, one student or resident is responsible for the oversight of their patient’s oral health care need and may refer the patient for specialty care. HIV+ patients are treated in all of GSDM’s clinics.
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).
