Team of dentists making oral care a priority for the homeless

The eight chairs used for dental services at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless Stout Street Medical Center have ample space for dentists to swivel around adult patients in dire need of fillings dentures or crowns The pediatric care room however can barely accommodate the pediatric dentist another employee and the parents of a child receiving care Next to a wall with a fresh decal of a cartoon hippo brushing his teeth a set of cabinets occupies much of the floor space sticking out like a sore thumb The coalition s dental services director Dr Carol Niforatos would like to replace the cabinets with a slimmer storage system a carpentry procedure she estimated at It s one of her pending goals for a clinic that sees patients during the week here and at two other locations in metro Denver The dental clinic at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless Stout Street Vitality Center provides dental work for the homeless in Denver on Oct Photo by RJ Sangosti The Denver Post In addition to the Stout Street Robustness Center Stout St the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless provides dental services at its nearby headquarters Champa St and at a shelter run by the Denver Rescue Mission at E th Ave Denver Social workers from the Coalition the city and other homeless advocacy organizations refer patients to the clinics Others walk in looking for care Finding a place to live is key to improving the well-being of a homeless person Niforatos declared Dental hygiene procedures such as periodic cleanings are often at the bottom of their list of errands Their priorities are much different than the person who is housed Niforatos reported A lot of times they are not even thinking about their teeth unless there is an urgency particular swelling particular pain Then they re thinking about their teeth Teeth decay may necessitate fillings and extractions the the majority common procedures at the clinic she reported Her dentists also specialize in dentures which are molded on site at the centers on Stout and Champa streets They take X-rays fit porcelain and stainless steel crowns and perform root canals Medicaid is a common insurer though the clinic states it has a sliding fee for uninsured patients and doesn t turn away those who cannot pay Once a case is seen the clinic pairs them with a situation manager who can put them on a list for available housing Niforatos noted The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless has housing programs for low-wage workers and homeless adults and families Once you re housed your priorities can be really realigned Niforatos announced You can all of a sudden think about your mouth again The Denver Post Season To Share is the annual holiday fundraising campaign of The Denver Post and The Denver Post District Foundation a c nonprofit Funds sponsorship local nonprofits that help low-income children families and individuals move out of poverty toward stability and self-sufficiency Visit SeasonToShare com to learn more or to donate now The reasons for homelessness vary wildly The trauma of life on the street can lead patients to behave unpredictably on rare occasions Niforatos announced Her gang is trained in non-violent problem intervention and can hurriedly call for behavioral strength staff using special beepers clipped to their scrubs The process isn t supposed to be punitive the incoming sufferer is usually desperate for care she commented Her association wants to help them too even if it means having to go over the expectations for a visit You ve got to talk to that sufferer Niforatos reported You ve got to make sure you re understood and that they re heard And that just takes a couple of minutes more than the average population Colorado Coalition for the Homeless Address Champa St Denver CO In operation since Number of employees Number of assistants Annual budget million in revenue million in expenses Number of clients served Sources Colorado Coalition for the Homeless Form Colorado Coalition for the Homeless Annual Analysis