BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The Med Center Health Dental Clinic won the State Farm Neighbors Assist Grant for 2020. Each year the grant rewards 40 different organizations with a $25,000 grant to have a positive impact on their community. 

The clinic was one of the top two hundred organizations chosen out of the two thousand that applied. People from all over the country can vote for the top 200 groups who they feel deserve the grant. 

With a good plan and community support, Dental Clinic dentist, Josh Phillips says it was a true team effort. 

“We already had a plan in place to get the votes from the community, as well as more support from the hospital so a little bit of teamwork and everybody coming together, we made it happen this year,” says Phillips. 

With the money, the clinic plans to fill the gap in dental care for children in Pre-K and Head Start. 

In the state of Kentucky, children must have a dental screening before going to school. With donor help screenings and other dental services at the clinic are given at reduced costs, but the clinic would like to start a program to get kids through the door and find a dental home. The $25,000 will be spent on programs that will go into the schools along with dental care packs (toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash), children can use and take home to keep up with their oral hygiene. Dr. Phillips says it is important to establish good oral health while you are young. 

“Oral health affects your overall health. There's always more research coming out about how oral hygiene and inflammation of the mouth affects your overall body, it affects your heart, arthritis, and a lot of other facets. Keeping your mouth clean is huge,” says Phillips. 

Qualification for free or reduced services is dependent on your income and the number of people in your household. The Dental Clinic hopes to begin implementing their programs next summer and Dr. Phillips says he is excited to get started. 

“I’m just excited because this is going to help a portion of our community that doesn’t always receive care so that’s huge. I just thank everybody that was a part of it and I just feel fortunate to be able to provide the care,” says Phillips.