HHS awards $85M+ to expanding oral healthcare access

The Health Resources and Services Administration, which is part of HHS, allocated over $85 million to 298 health centers to expand oral healthcare via infrastructure enhancements, according to a Sept. 18 press release

This is HRSA's first investment centered solely on oral health infrastructure. It is designated to improve access for underserved urban and rural areas, according to HHS Secretary Alex Azar.

The awards, up to $300,000 each, will help health centers overcome infrastructure limitations, such as old equipment and insufficient space. Potential actions include minor renovations to modernize existing areas, dental and radiology equipment purchases, training and consultation to improve oral health integration and the use of mobile dental units to visit underserved communities.

HRSA-funded health centers provided dental care for more than 6.4 million patients in 2018, a 13 percent increase from 2016.

To see a list of award recipients, click here.

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