CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health to Open Second Dental Center to Meet Community Need

– CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health, a community-based organization dedicated to the health and well-being of children in Lancaster County, is proud to announce plans to open their second dental center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Lancaster Dental Center opens in September and will serve the large number of families who continue to face challenges finding a dental home for their children. The Center will serve all children regardless of insurance and will offer discounted fees based on income for those without insurance.

A part of Catholic Health Initiatives, CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health was formed in 2000 as the nationwide Catholic healthcare system transitioned its local purpose from the provision of acute care (through the former St. Joseph hospital) to development and implementation of community based programs and services designed to improve the health of the Lancaster Community. Since 2004, the nonprofit has focused its programming and resources on efforts to improve the health and well-being of children.

The announcement of the second Dental Center comes just six months after the opening of CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health’s initial Center in Columbia. Since the opening of the Columbia Dental Center, over 1,000 children have enrolled as patients. Within the past year, CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health has invested nearly $1 million in building renovations and equipment for opening the Columbia and Lancaster Dental Centers.

“Since launching our children’s oral health programs in 2004, our goal has consistently been to find every child in need within the Lancaster Community a dental home. The opening of our second dental center moves us closer to our goal,” said Philip Goropoulos, president of CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health. “Between the current Columbia location and the addition of the Lancaster Center in September, we will now be able to serve as a true dental home to approximately 4,800 children.”

No insurance will be necessary at the new Lancaster Dental Center, although many insurance plans will be accepted including Medicaid and CHIP. Patients who qualify may also benefit from the St. Joseph Access Plan which provides uninsured families with generous discounts on dental care based upon household income.

“Lancaster County has a shortage of dental homes for children, especially for children insured through Medicaid or CHIP, or who are uninsured or underinsured. For these families, finding a dental home can be extremely difficult,” said Goropoulos. “We’re providing quality, compassionate care that is focused on making dental health a reality for more children.”

The new CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health Dental Center will be located at 1929 Lincoln Highway East in East Lampeter Township. Patients may also visit the Columbia Dental Center located at 401 Locust Street in Columbia. Interested families should call 844-836-8871 for more information about CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health’s dental services or visit www.CHIDentalCenter.org.

About CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health

A part of Catholic Health Initiatives, CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health is a community-based organization dedicated to the health and wellbeing of children in the Lancaster community. The organization works in collaboration with community partners to assure access to appropriate, quality health services and benefits for every child in the Lancaster community. This mission in children’s health began with the development of Brush.Brush.Smile!®, a mobile dental clinic program, and now includes multiple efforts, programs and services committed to improving the health of children and expanding healthcare access for children and families throughout the Lancaster community. To learn more about CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health visit www.stjosephchildrenshealth.org.