G-2406-21851

The University of Florida Foundation was founded in 1934 to strengthen, benefit and assist the University of Florida. Through the Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science (CDBS), the University of Florida College of Dentistry (UFCD) has been providing health care to the underserved in Alachua County and north central Florida for more than ten years. UFCD currently partners with the ARC of Alachua County – a longtime service provider for people with disabilities in Alachua County – in the continuation of the pilot program.

The D-CARE program, initiated through CareQuest Institutes Disability Justice RFP in 2023, addresses the need for systemic change in dental care access for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through a community-driven holistic approach and a mobile van model. Key components include expanding the multidisciplinary team to incorporate specialists in speech therapy, occupational therapy, and nutrition, ensuring comprehensive care that addresses all aspects of health.

Community engagement and advocacy are central to the initiative, with the creation of the Community Advisory Group (CAG) in the program’s first year of funding. Comprising caregivers, advocates, community agencies, and statewide advocates, CAG will continue to guide the initiative by facilitating patient referrals, informing local policy positions, and ensuring the program maintains its alignment with community needs. The D-CARE program also emphasizes research and evaluation, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data to measure impact and refine strategies. As UFCD looks toward refining the pilot program in 2025, a comprehensive assessment of patient satisfaction levels, and oral health status will be conducted to measure the impact of interventions. This will include the collection of patient volume, demographics, treatment metrics, patient and caregiver feedback.

The pilot program aims to demonstrate a sustainable, replicable model for delivering care to patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities mobile dental clinics, documenting best practices and creating a blueprint for other regions. The analysis of Medicaid billing, reimbursements, uncompensated dental care by the end of the funding cycle will be shared with regional adjacent dental schools who are currently looking to replicate this model.

The recommended amount totals $125,000. While a slight reduction from the original request, this matches the initial funding amount awarded in the Disability Justice RFP. Of the recommended amount, approximately 70% is allocated toward medical staff, which include interdisciplinary specialists and dental providers. The remaining percentage is allocated toward indirect fees. The request reflects less than 1% of the organization’s operating budget.