City council boosts funding for senior care

Dallas City Council recently agreed to continue its partnership with Texas A&M School of Dentistry, funding dental care for eligible senior citizens.

Since 2016, the dental school has worked with the City of Dallas through its Senior Dental Care Services to provide free oral health care for qualifying citizens age 60 and older. The council March 8 renewed the agreement with the largest award to date – up to $750,000 over three years. The city will reimburse the school $250,000 the first year and consider two one-year renewal options totaling $500,000 in the years that follow.

“We are excited to continue this relationship with the City of Dallas and for the opportunity to expand services provided to eligible seniors,” said Tracy King, director of clinical operations community clinics at Texas A&M School of Dentistry. “In addition to basic preventive and urgent dental care, we are providing dentures, root canal treatment, crowns, oral cancer biopsies and tobacco cessation services to address comprehensive dental needs.”

Oral healthcare is often delayed or neglected entirely by people as they reach retirement age, lose private dental insurance and transition to Medicare, which does not cover regular dental care. Medicare Advantage offers some coverage but it varies from plan to plan, making the partnership between the City of Dallas and School of Dentistry significant, especially to low- and moderate-income senior citizens.

More than 2,000 patient visits are anticipated in 2023. Dental care through the program is provided at the dental school’s community clinics: Dr. M.C. Cooper Dental Clinic, 4570 Scyene Road, and North Dallas Shared Ministries, 2875 Merrell Road, both in Dallas.