BRIGHTER WAY INSTITUTE - TOHONO OODHAM 2017.PDF

Last updated: 05/06/2017
General information
Organization Brighter Way Institute
Contact First name Kris
Contact Last name Volcheck, DDS, MBA
Contact e-mail kvolcheck@brighterwaydental.org
Contact phone number 602-758-9000
Address
Street 3140 W. Buckeye Road
City Phoenix
State Arizona
ZIP Code 85009
From what tribe is the Tohono O’odham Nation
organization requesting the
grant?
Total grant amount request 20,000
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2017 Application to Tohono O’odham Nation
a. Perceived Need and Program
Our Mission: “To be a leader in providing outstanding dental care and other care management,
transforming health homes and training future health professionals for the care of vulnerable children,
adults and families.”
Organizational Overview
Brighter Way Institute (BWI) is a recognized 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in Arizona. BWI
operates the Brighter Way Dental Center, the Parsons Center for Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
(Parsons Center), and the Canyon State Academy Dental Center. The three dental clinics in
metropolitan Phoenix provide comprehensive preventative and restorative oral healthcare, including
root canals, dentures, stainless steel crowns, implants, etc., to adults and children who face barriers to
oral healthcare; underinsured, low-income, and uninsured adults, and Medicaid-insured and
uninsured/Medicaid-ineligible children.
Although BWI is a newly-formed organization, BWI’s programs have a rich history of restoring oral
health to thousands of adults and children experiencing homelessness as well as uninsured/Medicaid-
ineligible and Medicaid-insured children. Prior to the 2016 incorporation of BWI, its three dental
clinics operated as programs of Central Arizona Shelter Services, Inc. The Brighter Way Dental
Center opened in 2001, the Parsons Center in 2010, and the Canyon State clinic in 2015. BWI has
retained Technical Assistance Partnership of Arizona (TAPAZ) as its fiscal agent for those
organizations that require one.
Community Need
Dental decay is the most prevalent childhood non-contagious disease in the world. It affects
children’s short and long-term health, causing chronic respiratory infections in childhood and
increasing risk of stroke and heart disease as adults. Pain from cavities and gum disease affect
children’s ability to concentrate in school, disrupting their ability to learn and ultimately their lifelong
earnings potential. The Surgeon General of the United States called oral disease a “silent epidemic”
that disproportionately affects members of racial and ethnic minority groups, children in low-income
families, and the elderly. The Parsons Center fills an unmet need for a dental home for children in
South Phoenix, who live in poverty and who are primarily Hispanic. In addition, Arizona’s ongoing
failure to provide low-income children access to dental sealants earned the state a “D” from the Pew
Center for the States in 2013.
Program Description
The Parsons Center provides on-site, no/low cost, comprehensive dental care to children and youth
under 18 years of age. The Parsons Center eliminates barriers to care – transportation, finance,
language, and culture. As a dental home, the Parsons Center provides the following to all of its
patients, irrespective of insurance status:
• Annual X-rays
• Semi-annual oral health assessments, cleanings, fluoride varnishes and age-appropriate dental
sealants
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2017 Application to Tohono O’odham Nation
• Restorative care, e.g. fillings, root canals, etc. as needed
• Oral surgery as needed
• Instruction in proper brushing and flossing techniques as well as supplies of toothbrushes,
toothpaste, and dental floss
(The Parsons Center offers orthodontics to children at a much-reduced cost of $2,995 annually. There
is a flexible payment schedule and the clinic staff works with families. Orthodontics is not a part of
this application for funding.)
In fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, the Parsons Center provided comprehensive dental care to 3,895
unduplicated children (1,824 uninsured /Medicaid-ineligible and 2,071 Medicaid-insured). The
Parsons Center restored their oral health by providing the specific dental care in the table below.
Parsons Center for Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
Services Provided FY 15/16
Total
Services to Uninsured/Medicaid- Services to Medicaid- FY
ineligible Children insured Children 15/16
Cleanings 1,849 2,295 4,144
Fluoride 1,942 2,444 4,386
Sealants 1,298 1,372 2,670
Fillings 2,082 2,219 4,301
Root Canals 137 136 273
Crowns 305 425 730
Extractions 511 636 1,147
Outcomes
Volumes of research has demonstrated the benefits of regular sealants and fluoride varnishes. Though
difficult to measure, children whose oral health is restored no longer suffer from pain.
• Fluoride varnishes: 75% reduction in cavity production (International Society of Preventive &
Community Dentistry)
• Sealants: Prevention of 80% of cavities in the back teeth, where 90% of cavities occur. (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention)
b. Describe the population who will benefit from the proposal if approved.
The Parsons Center has been the dental home for children in the Murphy School District in South
Phoenix since 2010. The dental clinic will expand into the Isaac Elementary School District in South
Phoenix beginning in School Year 17/18 (Summer 2017). The two school districts have similar
characteristics: children living in poverty, predominately Hispanic, and 50% uninsured/Medicaid-
ineligible.
Data from the 2011-2015 American Community Survey shows that 76% of children under 18 years
of age in Murphy and 66% in Isaac live below the federal poverty level and children are
predominately Hispanic (72% in Murphy, 87% in Isaac). According to 2017 data from the Arizona
Department of Education, 94% of children in Isaac and 89% in Murphy are eligible for free/reduced
lunches. On average annually, 50% of children in Murphy are uninsured/ineligible for Medicaid
coverage. Based on discussions with Isaac administrators, we expect 50% of the children in Isaac to
be uninsured/ineligible for Medicaid coverage.
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2017 Application to Tohono O’odham Nation
Data from the 2011-2015 American Community Survey provides a snapshot of the children to be
served. Statistics for the Murphy and Isaac respectively include:
White: 77% ,75%
Black: 9%%, 3%
Native American: 2%, 3%
Asian: 1% ,1%
Some other race: 10% ,15%
Two or more races: 2%, 3%
Hispanic: 72%, 87%
Children with disabilities have access to a dental home because the Parsons Center offers two unique
services.
1. Mobile dental treatment chairs that are setup within schools eliminate transportation barriers that
many children with disabilities face.
2. A Parsons Center pediatric dentist is certified to administer oral and intravenous sedation to
children at the Parsons Center. Children with behavioral issues and/or disabilities that would
otherwise make dental care impossible now have access to comprehensive dental care. Because
the Parsons Center is the only nonprofit community-based clinic to offer sedation, it accepts
referrals from peer dental clinics from throughout Maricopa County, such as the St. Vincent de
Paul Dental Clinic.
c. Include a budget of the requested funds, with the total amount requested clearly notated.
Parsons Center for Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
FY 17/18 Projected Program Budget
Revenue
Earned Income $900,000
Fees for Service (Orthodontics & Copays) $600,000
Foundations & Corporations $380,000
In-Kind Support 87,206
Tohono O’odham Nation $20,000
Total $1,987,206
Expenses
Salaries $1,216,000
Employee Related Expenses $253,000
Professional Fees & Contracts $161,000
Program Supplies $170,000
Tohono O’odham Nation – Program Supplies $20,000
Occupancy (Rent) $21,000
Equipment $20,000
Non-Payroll Insurance $15,000
Miscellaneous Staff & Patient Expenses $24,000
In-Kind Expense $87,206
Total $1,987,206
Earned income reflects revenue for services provided to children who are Medicaid-insured. Fees for
service include copays requested from uninsured/Medicaid-ineligible patients. There is a $10.00
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2017 Application to Tohono O’odham Nation
copay for initial visits that include X-rays, oral health assessments, cleanings, fluoride varnishes, and
dental sealants. The copay for restorative visits is $50.00 that could include fillings, stainless steel
crowns, root canals, extractions, etc. The copay is $50.00 regardless of how many fillings or other
treatments are done. If a family cannot afford copays, they are waived. The child will receive the
same care regardless of insurance status or ability to pay the copay.
The Parsons Center will use grant dollars from Tohono O’odham to purchase program supplies, such
as fluoride varnishes, sealants, amalgam for fillings, stainless steel crowns, bibs, etc.
The number of new patients from the Isaac Elementary School District is projected at a minimum of
3,000, 50% of whom will be uninsured/Medicaid-ineligible. Based on an average, annual per capita
expense of $200 for uninsured/Medicaid-ineligible children, the Parsons Center will incur additional
expenses upward of $300,000 in expenses. A generous $20,000 grant from Tohono O’odham Nation
will allow 100 unduplicated, uninsured/Medicaid-ineligible children to receive comprehensive dental
care for one year.
d. List any other funding requests that have been made for this or substantially related proposals and
provide the status of those requests.
During this fiscal year, Brighter Way Institute received grants from the Bob & Renee Parsons
Foundation ($270,000) for general operations and the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation ($250,000)
for dental care to Veterans. The following requests for funding have been submitted for the Parsons
Center recently: The Board of Visitors ($70,000), Fiesta Bowl Charities ($70,000), and APS
($10,000). Brighter Way Institute will be applying for funding in the next few months from the Del
E. Webb Foundation, Diamondbacks Foundation, Arizona Coyotes Foundation, and Cardinals
Charities.
e. Indicate whether the entity has already received a 12% distribution from the Tohono O'odham Nation
or other Arizona tribes, along with the amount and date awarded.
Brighter Way Institute has not received funding from any Arizona tribes.
f. Identify a designated contact person and alternate contact person for follow-up, including e-mail
address, phone number, mailing address, and fax number for these persons.
Primary Contact: Alternate Contact:
Kris Volcheck, DDS, MBA John Burgess
President/Founder Chief Operating Officer
KVolcheck@brighterwaydental.org JBurgess@brighterwaydental.org
Telephone: 602-758-9000 Telephone: 480-788-3505
Fax: 877-523-4413 Fax: 877-523-4413
Mailing Address: Mailing Address
Brighter Way Institute Brighter Way Institute
3140 W. Buckeye Road 3140 W. Buckeye Road
Phoenix, AZ 85009 Phoenix, AZ 85009
g. Priority area: Health Care
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Parsons Center for Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics
This child in the photographs presented with severe decay in his upper central and lateral incisors as well
as teeth not visible in the photograph. Due to the severity of the decay in the incisors, porcelain crowns
were required to save his teeth. There was insufficient tooth structure to fill the cavities routinely. It is
imperative for these baby teeth to be saved as they are placeholders for adult teeth that will emerge later
on.
According to several resources, the out of pocket expense for a single pediatric porcelain crown ranges
from $400 - $650. If a patient is Medicaid-insured, the Parsons Center accepts Medicaid reimbursement
rates and there is no out of pocket expense to the family. If the child is uninsured/Medicaid-ineligible, the
cost per restorative visit is $50 regardless of the care provided. Therefore, the child received four
porcelain crowns at a savings of $1,550 – $2,550. If a family cannot afford the $50, the fee is always
waived.
The restorative care not only saved the child’s teeth but allowed him to eat all foods and eat without pain.
Cold foods are particularly painful with this degree of decay. Restoring oral health allowed this child to
smile without embarrassment.