Saving Smiles of Maine opens in Monson
By Tracey L. Jowett, RDH, BSDH, IPDH
MONSON — It is exciting to share that residents in the town of Monson and surrounding areas now have increased local access to preventive dental hygiene services. Access to dental care is an obstacle encountered by many individuals living in rural Maine. Those living in rural areas understand the significance of this hardship and experience the impact that dental disease has on all aspects of life. From the ability to maintain proper nutrition and live free of dental pain to the adverse health effects of dental disease, dental disparities can hinder a person’s quality of life. The effects of dental disease are broadly felt at every age.
In efforts to address barriers to dental care, the Libra Foundation designed and developed a state-of-the-art dental facility as part of the Monson Health Center — a multi-disciplinary health care facility that the foundation created in 2019 in Monson’s former public school building. The recent endeavor by Libra Foundation and Saving Smiles of Maine, an established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with over 20 years’ experience in the field, to reopen the dental clinic at the site, sparked significant interest from the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation. The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation provided generous financial support to enable Saving Smiles of Maine to expand its preventive dental hygiene care to the Monson Health Center through “Saving Smiles in Monson”, a prevention-based dental hygiene program that officially opened its doors in July.
BOARD MEMBERS — Saving Smiles of Maine board members, from left, Brandi Grosjean, Jennifer Young, and Tracey Jowett with Paul Pietropaoli of the Libra Foundation. The organizations have partnered on a dental facility at the Monson Health Center.
“The goal is to provide much needed dental hygiene services to people of all ages in Piscataquis County and to develop partnerships with dentists, dental hygienists, and others that support improving access to oral healthcare,” said Tracey Jowett, founder and president of Saving Smiles of Maine states. “We are all working hard to do our part.”
Over the past few months, the Saving Smiles in Monson program has diligently worked to reopen the dental clinic at the Monson Health Center, which is located at 35 Greenville Road. With a focus on dental disease prevention and early intervention services rendered by Independent Practicing Dental Hygienists, the time has come to fill the schedule. If you or someone you know is interested in the services rendered through the Saving Smiles in Monson program, please contact the clinical care coordinator directly by calling the Monson office at 207-814-8109. A live person will be reached on Mondays or Tuesdays during regular office hours between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. or leave a message and your call will be returned.
MONSON DENTAL CARE — Independent Practicing Dental Hygienist Tracey L Jowett providing care in Monson.
For a detailed list of services provided under the IPDH scope, visit the Monson section of the Saving Smiles of Maine website at www.savingsmilesofmaine.org.
Together, we can forge a brighter future for the dental health outcomes for Maine people. We look forward to working with you!