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(Honesdale, December 5, 2008)… More area children will now have access to dental checkups, cleanings, sealants and preventive oral health programs, thanks to two grants from the Blue Ribbon Foundation of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania to the Together for Health Dental Center in the Stourbridge Mall, Honesdale. The Access to Care Grant and the Pediatric Dental Education Grant together total approximately $28,000.

      The Together for Health Dental Center (TFHDC), part of Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers, works closely with local schools and community organizations to provide dental services to 1,500 uninsured and underinsured children in Wayne and Pike Counties.

      “These grants will help fund programs that frequently begin the process of access to dental care for many children who might not otherwise see a dentist until early adulthood or even later,” said Mary Wetherall, RN, BSN, Clinical Coordinator for

Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers (WMCHC).

      “From an educational perspective, these programs may be their first contact with oral health, providing these children with the knowledge and tools to begin dental self care.”

      Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, based in Wilkes Barre, is a major provider of health insurance products in the region. It established its private, non-profit Blue Ribbon Foundation in 2002 to invest in health and wellness initiatives that produce measurable results for the residents of communities throughout northeastern and north central Pennsylvania.

      “We are grateful to the Blue Ribbon Founda