New Program will provide Dental Hygiene Services
in-house to residents at Meadow Brook
by Kris School, Antrim County News Reporter

Pictured Left to Right: Susan Ansorge, President of Northland Dental Hygiene Society; Norman Veliquette, President of Meadow Brook Foundation; Marna Robertson, Administrator, Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility; Patty Ulrich, RDH, Manager, Dental Clinics North; Peggy Sloma, RDH, for Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility and Bonnie Nothoff, Director of Governmental Affairs for the Michigan Dental Hygienists' Association.

Beginning Nov. 30, residents at Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility will receive preventive dental services without having to leave the building.

A new program, referred to as "Public Act 161," is a result of legislation which "waives" assignment - meaning the hygienist can see and provide services without the patient first being seen and treatment planned by the dentist. The hygienist contracts with a dentist to provide supervision that is offsite.

This program is the result of legislation initiated last year by the Michigan Dental Hygienists' Association, which was introduced by Representative Barbara Vander Veen of the 89th District.

"We were supported by the dentist's organization, the Michigan Dental Association, in our efforts," said Bonnie Nothoff, Director of Governmental Affairs for the Michigan Dental Hygienists' Association. "We were also supported by the Michigan Nurse's Association as well as many other groups. The bill passed unanimously."

Nothoff indicated that the purpose of the program is to expand care and provide access to the underserved population. "We are very excited about it," she said. "We plan to make Meadow Brook the model for other nursing homes in Michigan. In fact, Meadow Brook is the first nursing home in the state to participate in the PA 161 program. Other nursing home applications are being made to the State of Michigan to become PA 161 providers."

According to the law, one "entity" is named the PA 161 "provider." Nothoff said it could be the nursing home, the hygienist, the dentist, or a dental clinic. "In this case, it made the most sense for Dental Clinics North to be named as the provider," she said. "Tom Veryser, a dentist from Dental Clinics North, is the dentist with whom Peggy Sloma, the RDH who will provide the services, has contracted for supervision."

In an effort to get the program started, a $2,000 donation was recently given to the Meadow Brook Foundation from the Northland District Dental Hygiene Society. Another donor, Scott Perron, a dentist from Elk Rapids, donated cabinetry to the facility, which will be utilized for the program as well.

Nothoff noted that many people worked together to make this program happen: "The MDHA for initiating it; the MDA for supporting it; Meadow Brook (and Marna Robertson, the director) for embracing it; Susan Ansorge, RDH, President of Northland District Dental Hygiene Society who recommended and implemented this first donation; for Dental Clinics North for collaborating with us all and for being the PA 161 provider; Peggy Sloma, RDH for pioneering the mechanics and for being the professional who will manage the program and actually provide the services to the residents; for the introduction of our legislation by Rep. Vander Veen and the subsequent unanimous approval of the same; to Lisa Darrow, RDH, Immediate Past President for prioritizing this in the MDHA legislative agenda; and to the Oral Health Coordinator of the State of Michigan, Sheila Semler, RDH, PhD, for approving the program."