Health, Dental and Vision Screenings at Hamilton Health Center Help Harrisburg Area Children and Adults

A day of free health and vision screenings and dental care was held May 2 at Hamilton Health Center in Harrisburg. The event was open to children and adults who are uninsured or have minimal health or dental coverage. More than $10,000 in services were provided at no cost to 75 patients.

The event was sponsored by the Dauphin County Partners for a Health Community, which includes Highmark Blue Shield, United Concordia Dental, Davis Vision, the Harrisburg Area Dental Society and Hamilton Health Center. A variety of screenings and services were offered at no cost, including:

• Glucose/Sugar
• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol
• Body mass index
• Vision
• Dental Screenings
• Cleanings
• Restorative procedures

Medical professionals provided free consultations. Information on Pennsylvania?s Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), adultBasic and Medicaid programs administered by Highmark also was available.

Other partners included:

• Highmark Caring Place
• CHIP, The Children's Health Insurance Program
• Hamilton Health Center's Baby Love, OB/GYN and WIC programs
• Community Check-Up Center
• Dauphin County Department of Drug & Alcohol Services
• Catalyst , a cancer support advocacy group
• Family Health Council of Central PA
• Penn State Cooperative Extension
• Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging
• Pathstone, a community development and human service agency
• American Cancer Society

In December 2008, the Highmark Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to Hamilton Health Center, a federally-qualified health center, to expand dental services to low-income and uninsured individuals in Dauphin County. The grant is funding an expansion in hours the clinic will be open, including a new Saturday clinic. The grant also has provided the financial resources for the addition of a new dentist, a new dental assistant, and a new front desk staff member to serve the additional patients expected to receive services. Services offered include general dentistry, dentures, examinations, cleanings, tooth extractions, and x-rays. Nearly 6,500 dental patients accounted for over 10,000 dental encounters in 2008.