Mercy Foundation
2700 NW Stewart Parkway
Roseburg, OR
United States
Mercy Foundation’s project addresses the oral health needs of local veterans admitted to Mercy Medical Center (MMC), a 174-bed non-profit hospital associated with the local VA hospital in rural Oregon. MMC is just one of two hospitals in Oregon with an in-patient dental program. Launched in March 2023, this program utilizes an Expanded Practice Dental Hygienist (EPDH) and dental assistant to provide patients with preventative care, including assessment, fluoride varnish, Silver Diamine, sealants, and education. Upon discharge, patients are provided with a care plan and connection to a dental home for additional treatment and on-going preventative care.
Through this support, the Foundation seeks to increase access to care by:
1.Identifying and providing preventative care to patients who would not otherwise have
access to oral health care. To ensure continuum of care after discharge, patients will be
connected to a dental provider.
2. Increase the understanding of oral health by educating patients about how to care for
their mouth and instilling the habit of prioritizing oral through prevention over intervention.
3.Increase the integration of health care and dental care by raising awareness and
knowledge among healthcare professionals about the importance of oral health on overall
well-being to foster a culture of proactive, holistic healthcare management, driving
behavior change among medical staff and patients.
4.Increase community-based health equity by expanding partnerships with community based organizations (CBO) to increase access and awareness.
The Foundation will leverage cooperation among CBOs and support in dental care for veterans to encourage further investments from policy makers.
Mercy Foundation is requesting $125,000 for this work which is about 6% of the
organization’s overall budget. $94,807 will be utilized to staff an Expanded Practice Dental Hygienist and Dental assistant, $4,000 for dental supplies, $1,000 for education materials, $3,000 for PPE, $10,000 for development and production of videos for content to be shared across hospital network, $500 for credentialing Registered Nurses, $250 for CEUs, and $1,078 for print materials.
This proposal is one of ten selected finalists for the Expanding Access and Equity for Veterans Oral Health RFP.