HUNTINGTON, WV – Oral disease is a major burden for our region.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 56% of West Virginia’s adults have lost at least one tooth. Among the state’s seniors, 22% have lost all their teeth.

Only 58% of West Virginian adults have seen a dentist in the past year. Part of the problem is the state has far fewer dentists per capita than the national average. While West Virginia Medicaid added an adult dental benefit in 2021, less than a third of dentists accept it. Among those who do, wait times for an initial appointment average 95 days.

That’s where Ebenezer Medical Outreach, Huntington’s free and charitable clinic, is stepping in. On Friday August 9, Ebenezer offered its first twice-monthly clinic providing essential general dentistry appointments for those on Medicaid and the uninsured.

This clinic is made possible through: the volunteer efforts of Dr. David Eller, a dentist who served the region for decades until his 2021 retirement; the support of Marshall Dentistry and Oral Surgery; and, grant funding from supporters like Pallottine Foundation of Huntington, Huntington Clinical Foundation, and Delta Dental.

For Eller, a long-time Ebenezer board member and current Board President who originally worked with local legend Dr. Leo Fleckenstein to set up the dental clinic, it’s about giving back.

“When God has given someone a gift, I feel it’s our obligation to use it for the good of our fellow man,” Eller said.

Appointments are limited to patients established with an Ebenezer Medical Outreach primary care provider. Ebenezer is accepting new patients who have West Virginia Medicaid or who are uninsured or underinsured with a household income of up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level.

“For a single person, that’s currently an annual income of $45,180. It’s $61,320 for a household of two and it goes up to $93,600 for a household of four,” Dan Hager, Ebenezer’s Executive Director, explained.

New patients confirm their eligibility through a brief application process before being scheduled with an Ebenezer primary care provider. They can then be referred for a dental cleaning and oral health screening, which are offered two days per week. Patients needing essential services, such as fillings or extractions, are then scheduled in the new twice-monthly clinic.

Prospective patients, volunteers, and donors are invited to call Ebenezer Medical Outreach at 304-529-0753 to learn more.