Mary's Center is already putting to work the federal government's stimulus money that is aimed at helping shore up cities across the nation.
Over the next two years, Mary's Center will receive $340,551 from the stimulus program. A total of $1.7 million has been allocated to health clinics in the District that serve the growing number of individuals who need health care but have no money or insurance to pay for it. Mary's Center is using the first of the monies to bring back into service its vitally-important mobile dental clinic, which had to be closed six months ago for lack of funds. Dental service is provided primarily to children and pregnant women. Maria Gomez, President and CEO of Mary's Center, said that pregnant women are at higher risk of giving birth prematurely. They can also suffer more serious complications, if oral infections are not detected and treated properly.
Called the Mama & Baby Bus, the mobile clinic is equipped with a dental chair and a new X-ray machine, making it easier for patients because they won’t need to travel to a hospital or a radiology center to get their films done.
At this point, the mobile bus is available in DC four days a week. The stimulus money is also helping to pay the salary of a new dentist, Dr. Oluwole Ajagbe, as well as his assistant and a dental hygienist.
Gomez noted that the stimulus grant became available on extremely short notice and that the grant-writing effort demanded a very quick turnaround (less than two months.) The process of applying for grants is normally much more drawn out. However, in these very tough economic times, Gomez said that Mary's Center could demonstrate a clear and urgent need for health services, as more and more people are losing jobs and their insurance.
Mary's Center plans to add three more dental chairs to its new health clinic being built in Ward 4.
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