United Way Celebrates One Year Since Expanding Free Dental Services
[gtxvideo vid=’UDL37Rd5′ thumb=’http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/UDL37Rd5.jpg’ vtitle=’Celebrating a Year of Free Dental Services’]
COUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – United Way of the Midlands is celebrating one year since it expanded its WellPartners free dental and eye clinic in Richland County.
The clinic serves both adults and children. Last year alone, United Way Communications Manager Molly Brantley says the effort served 800 kids and 3,700 adults in Richland and Lexington Counties for a total in-kind value of $1.7 million.
Brantley says the 5,200 square foot adult dental and eye care clinic in the Richland County Health Department was made possible by Lexington Medical Center, Palmetto Health and Providence Health. She said Richland County allowed United Way to increase services which had been provided at the same location with limited operating hours. BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation donated all of its state of the art dental equipment for the new space. The expansion also allowed United Way to increase service hours at its Lexington County location. Since then, United Way reports that dental emergency room visits have been cut in half, and that its clinics are seeing double the adults we saw in 2015.
Interested in taking advantage of these free services? Here’s who’s eligible:
WellPartners Eligibility
Children
- Are enrolled in public school in Richland or Lexington counties
- Are enrolled in free or reduced lunch program
- Are not eligible for Medicaid or any other type of insurance
- Are referred by a school nurse
Adults
- Have a valid Fairfield, Lexington, or Richland County ID
- Have no dental or vision insurance
- Have proof of low income – living on less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level
