Dental care now available for uninsured SRU students
The Community Health Clinic of Butler County is offering dental care for SRU students who do not have dental insurance. Students can be referred to the clinic following a screening at SRU’s Student Health Center.
Aug. 29, 2017
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - If attending a "College of Distinction" wasn't enough already, some Slippery Rock University students will have another reason to smile thanks to a new partnership with the SRU Student Health Center and the Community Health Clinic of Butler County.
SRU students who do not have dental insurance are now eligible to receive basic treatment from the Community Health Clinic, 103 Bonnie Drive, Butler, at no cost.
"This is a big step forward for both of our organizations," said Kris Benkeser, director of student health services. "Dental health is much more important than what people realize. It can cause all kinds of problems if you have untreated cavities or gum disease."
The Community Health Clinic is a non-profit, volunteer organization, completely funded by charitable gifts, that provides primary health and dental care to uninsured and income-eligible persons. The clinic has partnered with SRU in the past, fostering student development through internships, but according to Benkeser, there weren't many opportunities to refer students to the clinic because the SRU Student Health Center offers similar medical services.
However, this summer, when Benkeser met with the clinic's Kimberly Reamer, chief operating officer; Jim Cunningham, director of development; and Jessica Limbacher, a senior public health and pre-physician assistant major from Cranberry Township who interns at the clinic, the group identified an opportunity for the clinic to provide the dental care that SRU doesn't offer.
LIMBACHER
"I don't have dental coverage so I kind of walked into a meeting that was all about someone like me," said Limbacher, who spent 12 weeks working with the clinic this summer, assisting with fundraising, health education and outreach events. "We pointed out the need and they were more than happy to meet it."
"We're constantly reaching out to people in the community to let them know about our services and identifying groups who could potentially benefit from the clinic's dental program," Cunningham said. "A light bulb went off; we've got a major University in our service area. Jessica was certainly one of the factors that led us to do this."
Through the partnership, SRU students are screened by a nurse practitioner at the Student Health Center before they are referred to the Community Health Clinic, where they can receive basic dental services such as exams, X-rays, cleanings, extractions and fillings. If further work is required, such as a crown or root canal, a case manager at the clinic will assist in finding another dental care provider and if the patient is eligible for insurance to cover the services.
"This is a wonderful thing for our students," Benkeser said. "For the students who need it, it will mean a lot to them, because some of our students probably never had dental care.
"Even students who have medical coverage, but not dental coverage, are eligible through this partnership.
"It's just one of those concerns that's been taken off my plate," Limbacher said. "I hope students will be able to utilize the service."
SRU students without dental insurance who need dental care should first make an appointment with the Student Health Center for a screening by visiting the center, located at Rhoads Hall, 204 Campus Drive, or by calling 724.738.2052.
MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854 | justin.zackal@sru.edu