The Providence Community Health Centers (PCHC) is excited to announce the expansion of its adult dental services. In continued efforts to address the critical shortage of dentists caring for underserved patients, most of whom are adults insured through Medicaid, PCHC is opening an adult dental clinic on its Prairie Avenue campus.

A press conference and ribbon cutting ceremony was held on August 5 that included dignitaries, community leaders, and PCHC staff in the new clinic space on the first floor at 335R Prairie Avenue in Providence.

This new clinic will employ three full-time dentists and three full-time hygienists, along with dental assistants and administrative staff. The clinic is located in the same building that houses PCHC’s existing dental clinic for children and pregnant woman on its 3rd and 4th floors.

In Providence, there is only one dentist for every 12,822 residents classified as low-income or covered by Medicaid. This translates to about eight dentists for every 100,000 people, which is well below the ratio elsewhere in both Rhode Island and nationally. These statistics highlight the urgent need for more dental care providers in Providence to ensure that all residents have access to essential oral health services. Along with negative impacts on long-term dental health, poor oral care is also linked to heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory infections.

The clinic was made possible in part due to the generous support of Delta Dental of Rhode Island and federal funding secured by our congressional delegation.

“Neighborhoods in Providence that will be served by this clinic have the greatest shortage of dentists of any community in our state”, said Merrill Thomas, PCHC’s President and CEO. “By offering these services, we aim to ensure our patients have access to critical preventive and restorative dental care. Thank you to Delta Dental of Rhode Island, our congressional delegation, and the entire PCHC team for making this new clinic possible.”

The new adult dental clinic, a $2.5 million investment in community oral health in Providence, will include nine operatories, an on-site laboratory, and x-ray capabilities. Services will include examinations, fillings, crowns, x-rays, cleanings, anterior root canals, routine extractions, and a limited number of full and partial dentures.

“Delta Dental of Rhode Island is proud to support the opening of PCHC’s new adult dental clinic”, said Joseph Perroni, President and CEO of Delta Dental of Rhode Island. “Expanding access to oral health care for all Rhode Islanders is at the core of our mission, and underserved adults, including many who rely on Medicaid, often struggle when it comes to accessibility for their dental care. PCHC’s new adult dental clinic will address this issue, providing access to care to those underserved adults in our state.”

PCHC is proud to be a leader in addressing barriers to oral health care in underserved populations. With the addition of this new space, PCHC now has a total of 31 operatories serving children, pregnant women, and adults, adding 13,000 patient visits to its already substantial 20,000 dental visits annually, ensuring that more community members receive the care they need.

Hours of operation for the adult dental clinic are Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-6 p.m.