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NEILLSVILLE FACILITY COULD BE BIG HELP

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 -- 1:51 PM

If you've been to the dentist, you've probably seen the signs warning patients that they don't accept medical assistance payments. 80-percent of Wisconsin dentists don't.

Medicaid and BadgerCare simply don't cover costs.

That's why dental care has become one of the biggest pieces of the health care crisis pie.

Hopefully, the dental clinic planned for Neillsville will go along way to easing the situation.

The Family Health Center will operate the clinic. FHC was started in the early 70s by the Marshfield Clinic, but operates separate from the health giant.

"(We're) a federally- and state-funded programs designed to meet the health care needs of people with difficulty accessing health care services because of geography, cultural issues, financial issues," explains Greg Nycz, Executive Director of FHC.

Family Health Center can afford to offer care where other private dentists don't because they "endeavored to jump through a lot hoops".

"To write grants, to get philanthropic donations, to help people that don't have any payers," Nycz continues. Plus Medicare pays FHC more than a typical provider.

$6-million in government funding has been earmarked for a new 10,000 square-foot Neillsville facility.

According to a map prepared by Family Health Center of Marshfield, the clinic would expect to see patients from as far south as Warrens, as far east as Auburndale and as far west as Osseo.

They already have a clinic in Owen, but Nycz says that's no concern.

"We have an awful lot of work to do per patient. We try to get enough dentists to be adequate after we get through all of that unmet need," Nycz says, "In Ladysmith, we could have probably put 10 dentists because there was so much unmet need, but we figured, over time, we'll work through that need."

Now they have to find a suitable location. We'll tell you about their criteria on Thursday's news.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.