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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Awards $50,000 Grant to Covenant Community Care in Detroit to Expand Access to Dental Care
Meghan O'Brien
| 3 min read
DETROIT, Oct. 12, 2020 – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is helping Detroit residents access critical dental care and treatment with a $50,000 donation to Covenant Community Care. Covenant Community Care is a charitable, nonprofit community health center, serving the people of Metro Detroit, that provides medical, dental, obstetrics/gynecology, behavioral health and vision care to more than 20,000 patients annually. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Covenant Community Care offers integrated medical, dental and behavioral health care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. The $50,000 contribution from Blue Cross is funding the clinic’s investment in a 2D panoramic x-ray imaging system, which will increase access to high-quality restorative oral health care for families living on the eastside of Detroit. So far this year, Covenant Community Care’s dental care team has performed more than 4,100 procedures including diagnostic, preventative, oral surgery, restorative and rehab services for patients. The clinic is located in the East Warren/Cadieux area of Detroit, the same neighborhood that Blue Cross is investing $5 million in through 2022, a pledge that will help inclusive neighborhood development through Detroit’s Strategic Neighborhood Fund and Affordable Housing Leverage Fund. “Access to quality oral health care is imperative for maintaining overall physical health,” said Lynda Rossi, executive vice president of Government, Strategy and Public Affairs for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “Not only does dental heath play a pivotal role in many larger physical health conditions, it also can have a direct impact on one’s overall wellbeing, including self-esteem and mental health. That’s one of the reasons the work by Covenant Community Care is so important, as they’re helping people access regular, dental health care.” Covenant Community Care’s Chief Dental Officer Dr. Lynn Eickholt said, “The panorex imaging system has helped provide better care to our patients by allowing us to gain further diagnostic information and help guide treatment.” Additionally, the panorex system has helped decrease the amount of time a patient may be in pain, by enabling staff to process x-ray film the same day and coordinate next steps for care, a process that previously took one to two weeks. The new technology has also enabled the clinic to expose x-rays on children in a more comfortable way, providing them with a better overall experience in the dental office. Covenant Community Care is back open in-person and encouraging patients to call to schedule routine medical and dental appointments. For more information on Covenant Community Care’s services, please visit covenantcommunitycare.org. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides health benefits to more than 4.7 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies residing outside the state. The company has been committed to delivering affordable health care products through a broad variety of plans for businesses, individuals and seniors for 80 years. Beyond health care coverage, BCBSM supports impactful community initiatives and provides leadership in improving health care. For more information, visit bcbsm.com and MiBluesPerspectives.com.
