$1.6M grant supports increasing dentists in underserved areas
The Maryland Department of Health is launching a program to increase the number of dentists and dental hygienists in underserved communities in the state, as many of those areas have fewer than 20 dentists per 100,000 people.
“This shortage creates an uneven distribution of dental professionals across the state, which leads to decreased access to dental care especially in already underserved communities,” said Nilesh Kalyanaraman, M.D., deputy secretary for public health services at the health department. “We’re seeing that a majority of Maryland dentists practice in more populated and higher income areas, creating significant gaps in access to other regions and states.”
The funds are from a $1.6 million, four-year grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Service Administration.
Read more: WYPR
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