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Whittier Street Health Center Recognizes National Dental Hygienist Month.
Whittier Street Health Center, a community health center with a mission to serve as a center of excellence that provides high quality and accessible health care and social services that achieve health equity, social justice, and the economic well-being of a diverse patient population, recognizes October as National Dental Hygienist Month, a celebration of hard-working dental hygienists and an opportunity to promote healthy oral dental care in our communities.
Good oral/dental health translates to good health overall. Dental problems, including gum disease, can not only cause pain and impair one’s ability to eat and speak properly, but can also have a negative affect on areas of the body outside of the mouth, including the heart. Poor oral health can also lead to diabetes, arthritis and complications during pregnancy.
As a full service Community Health Center, Whittier offers oral care and dental service including dental cleaning, examinations, oral surgery, periodontal surgery, and dental implants.
“Good dental hygiene, including brushing, flossing, regular professional cleaning and checkups minimize cavities and decay and help to avoid more invasive dental procedures in the future,” said Dr. Nurulla Diyanat, director of oral health services at Whittier Street Health Center, noting that routine cleanings can also indicate an early diagnosis of oral cancer.
“Good dental hygiene is the first line of defense against serious oral issues,” said Frederica M. Williams, president and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center. “Understanding the complexities of medical conditions, medications, allergies and the anxiety levels of patients are all part of a dental hygienist’s skill level and training.”
About Whittier Street Health Center
Whittier Street Health Center is an independently licensed community health care center with a mission of providing high quality, reliable and accessible primary healthcare for diverse populations while promoting wellness and eliminating health and social disparities. A champion of equitable access to high quality, patient-focused care, social justice and economic equity, Whittier Street Health Center is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC), certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home, and recognized by the NCQA for its Behavioral Health Integration. Through its locations in Roxbury and North Dorchester, and its Mobile Health Van program, Whittier Street Health Center serves more than 30,000 patients and 20,000 community outreach visits annually; its ethnically and racially diverse patient base is primarily made up of individuals from Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, the South End and greater Boston. Approximately 28% of Whittier’s patients are uninsured. Whittier Street Health Center provides a comprehensive array of 40 healthcare programs and services designed to meet the primary health care, behavioral health, and social needs of the community. For more information, please visit www.wshc.org as well as Facebook (www.facebook.com/WhittierStreetHealthCenter), Twitter (@Whittier_Boston), or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/whittier-street-health-center), or call 617-989-3221.