SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE $150,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO EXPAND DENTAL SERVICES IN TIOGA COUNTY
Funding Will Be Used To Expand Affordable Dental Services To Low- And Moderate-Income Residents In Tioga County
Washington, DC – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $150,000 in federal funding to Tioga County Mobile Dental Services. The funding was allocated through the Appalachian Regional Commission and will be matched by the New York State Community Development Block Grant program, which has committed $300,000 to the project, and the Floyd Hooker Foundation, which has committed $25,000, totaling $475,000 for the project.
The funding will be used to purchase a new, self-contained mobile dental clinic to replace the current mobile dental clinic, which is at the end of its life. The clinic will have the flexibility to treat patients in various locations throughout the community, and will provide services such as cleanings, fillings, and extractions to children and adults regardless of insurance status. Uninsured patients will be billed on a slide scale fee basis. This program is expected to reach 2,000 patients in the first year of operations and as many as 5,000 by the third year.
“It is critical that all New Yorkers have access to quality health and dental care,” said Senator Schumer. “This mobile clinic does just that by making vital dental services accessible to residents in Tioga County and beyond, greatly improving the health of residents and families. Each year, tens of millions of Americans go without the dental care they need, and it is investments like this that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of New Yorkers. I am proud to announce this federal investment and will continue to fight to ensure that all New Yorkers get the care they need.”
“It is vital that every New Yorker has access to essential health care services, including dental services,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This mobile clinic will help remove the obstacles that many Tioga County residents face in accessing dental care, which will improve the overall health of the community. I will always support programs that empower local health providers to expand their services.”
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian region. More information can be found here.
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