Community Dental and ChesPenn Join Forces

Our New Leadership Team: Jaclyn Gleber, Karen Breitmayer, Tamara Fox, 

Mike Lucas, Candy Harkins, Susan Harris, Susan Sullivan, Regina Lewis

We’re excited to announce that effective July 1, 2014 Chester County Community Dental will become a part of ChesPenn Health Services.  This further strengthens an existing partnership and puts us at the forefront of an important development in health care.  For years, dental and medical health care have been addressed separately.  Current thinking regarding  healthcare delivery advocates for a highly integrated system in which medical, dental and behavioral healthcare providers work closely together in a patient-centered team approach. 

This highly integrated model can be especially helpful to low income, un- and underinsured patients, who often face complex medical and dental health challenges as these conditions often influence one another.  For example, diabetic patients are more prone to gum disease while gum infections make it harder to regulate their blood sugar.  Since we serve many of the same patients and are co-located in the Brandywine Center, this is a natural fit for both organizations.  Our missions are similar, consequently our patients will benefit from the synergy created by our complementary strengths.

Our patients can look forward to maintaining their relationships with the dental care professionals they’ve come to trust.  They’ll receive the same outstanding quality of care.  And they will benefit from a sliding fee scale that makes our dental services even more affordable and will better accommodate those financially challenged.  ChesPenn is committed to providing care to patients regardless of their ability to pay.  This merger will make quality dental care for underserved Chester County residents more accessible and sustainable and will complement their medical health, enhancing their well-being for a lifetime.

Community Dental Executive Director Regina Horton Lewis hailed the partnership as a venture into the leading edge of community health care, "For too long, dentists and doctors have often worked independently of one another.  Now we know how critical dental health is to general health and it just makes sense to have our medical and dental health providers working together as a team to improve our patients' health."  Michael G. Lucas, President and CEO of ChesPenn, added, "The Board of Directors and staff of ChesPenn are delighted to form this new partnership with Community Dental.  We welcome Community Dental's staff to our team and look forward to working with them to provide highly coordinated, patient-centered care to the residents of Coatesville and Chester County."

ChesPenn CEO Mike Lucas,
Dental Director Dr. Nancy Koshetar
& Staff Dentist Dr. Sofia Barroso

Frances Sheehan, President and CEO of Brandywine Health Foundation, which provides funding for both organizations, expressed her enthusiasm for the move. "As a principal funder of both entities, the Brandywine Health Foundation is enthusiastic about Community Dental and ChesPenn's efforts to consolidate operations in Coatesville.  In their shared facility in the Brandywine Center, integration will enable them to survive and thrive in the increasingly competitive healthcare marketplace, and to better meet their similar missions." 

Make your Appointment for Comedy Therapy

In spite of the weather, it really is spring.  Many of us are planning for the summer, maybe a family trip, maybe a whole summer away.  While you’re setting your summer calendar, jump forward just a few months and make your appointment on Saturday, November 15 for a night with three talented doctors of comedy. 

Our third annual Night of 10,000 Smiles is scheduled for Saturday, November 15, 7 to 10pm at the Downingtown Country Club.  We sold out last year, so save your place early.  Now you really have something to look forward to!  

Meet your doctors of comedy for this year:

Robin Fox

Tom McTiernan

Dan Natureman

Consider a sponsorship.  It's a great opportunity to network with leaders in the Chester County health care, business and government sectors and show your support for great health care for your neighbors who need it most.

Contact Tamara Fox, 601-291-0516 or tfox@chescodental.org for more 

information.

Click here to register.

Penn Liberty Bank Adopts McNeil Children's Library

Josh Dileo and Steve Groening at Penn Liberty Downingtown

Penn Liberty Bank has adopted the McNeil Children’s Library.  Steve Groening and Lois Fury at the Downingtown and Chester Springs Branches have set up collection boxes and are inviting their customers and members of the community to donate new or like-new children’s and young adult books.

The McNeil Children’s Library, located in the ChesPenn/Community Dental waiting room, provides books to children who come in for medical or dental care.  Each child who comes in for medical or dental care, or who accompanies a parent receiving care, is encouraged to take home a book to keep.  Many of the families who come to our offices for health care can’t afford to buy books for their children, but we know that literacy provides a path out of poverty.   We hope to instill a love of reading and learning in our children and set them on that path. 

We also know that literacy and health are connected.  Studies have proven that increased literacy levels are directly connected to better health.  Those who can read are better able to understand their health status, follow their health care providers’ recommendations and take their prescriptions. 

Because it is a giving library, not a lending library, we go through a lot of books.  We always need new books to share with each child and teen who comes into our offices.

If your family or organization has new or like-new children’s or young adult books to share, please drop them off at Penn Liberty Bank, 1201 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown or 210 Font Rd., Downingtown.

Chester County Commissioners Recognize Children’s Dental Health Month

Commissioner Terence Farrell, Tamara Fox, Regina Horton Lewis,
Commissioner Kathi Cozzone and Commissioner Ryan Costello

In February the Chester County Commissioners issued a Proclamation recognizing Children’s Dental Health

Month.  Braving the cold and just ahead of yet one more big snow, the Commissioners issued this Proclamation and honored Community Dental with an award of $25,000 in recognition of our work to eliminate dental disease in children.

The Proclamation began:   “WHEREAS:  Dental disease is a winnable public health battle that directly impacts the economic and overall health of the nation; and WHEREAS: Cavities are the number one chronic childhood disease, even though they are 100% preventable.  Mouth pain and other complications hurt a child’s ability to learn in school, and can create hurdles to finding a job in the future;”

We couldn’t have said it better.  Dental disease in children has become an epidemic.  And it’s so unnecessary.  Regular check-ups, starting at one year of age, combined with good nutritional choices and application of dental sealants, can virtually eliminate cavities in children.  Sealants have been proven to be highly effective at protecting teeth from cavities and Chester County is the only county in Pennsylvania that partners with area organizations to provide free sealants to children from low income families.  Community Dental has worked with the Chester County Health Department and area school districts for five years to provide sealants to children who aren’t able to go to a private dentist.      

Thank you, Commissioners, for you leadership and for helping Community Dental and other organizations improve the health and well-being of  our neighbors who can't afford health care on their own.