Bringing a smile to the East Side of Bridgeport

Hall Neighborhood House has been a consistent provider of social, child care, youth and senior citizen services on the East Side of Bridgeport for over 135 years. Our goal has always been to listen to our community, provide services that may be unavailable, and be flexible when our community identifies a new need.

There is nothing we love more than seeing our neighbors learn, play and grow with big smiles on their faces. Laughter is a constant soundtrack in our early childhood, youth and senior citizen programs — and our neighbors’ grinning faces are a daily encouragement.

But for many, poor dental health gets in the way of a beaming smile. Untreated cavities are one of the most common chronic ailments Americans experience — according to the CDC, one in four adults currently has a cavity. And while a cavity might seem small, dental issues have consequences ranging from emotionally challenging to painful to fatal if left untreated. As Harvard Health Publishing noted, “Tooth decay and gum disease can lead to serious health problems, including brain and heart infections.”

At Hall Neighborhood House, we believe that overall health and well-being play an important role in learning and quality of life.

Recently, we expanded the capabilities of our on-site community health center located right here on the East Side of Bridgeport to provide dental services, in addition to behavioral health, primary care, physicals and immunizations. At the dental clinic, regular checkups, sealants and education help fight cavities and other dental issues, while supporting our community’s overall health and wellbeing. We teach dental hygiene to the youngest members of our community and address our oldest neighbors’ unique oral health needs.

The new dental offerings are a direct response to the expressed needs of our neighbors.

Know the problem

We began our work on the dental clinic by first learning more about the longreaching effects of poor dental hygiene — and how to prevent them.

Untreated cavities (which up to 10 percent of children ages 2-5 experience, according to the CDC) can lead to serious infections that can spread to other parts of the body. Gum disease, mouth pain and oral cancer are also common issues that proper dental care can prevent and treat.

In 2021, the World Health Organization affirmed the need for holistic dental care and recommended a preventative approach toward oral health care — one that prioritizes timely, comprehensive and inclusive care. Our community needed access to dental care that was affordable and convenient. We responded with an on-site dental clinic right here at Hall Neighborhood House.

Partnership

Our services at Hall Neighborhood House are made possible through the work of incredible, community-minded partners who graciously offer their time, talent and resources to support our community.

Impact Fairfield County, Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc., and Brian Barker donated funds to make our idea a reality, and the University of Bridgeport Fones School of Dental Hygiene and Dr. Jennifer Boyce, DMD help us operate the clinic on a weekly basis. These partnerships ensure that we are able to provide highquality care, including exams, cleanings, X-rays, fluoride treatments, and sealants, at no cost to residents here on the East Side of Bridgeport. The dental hygiene services provided by the Fones School of Dental Hygiene are supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number 21.027 awarded to the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Prevention and education

We all have different needs when it comes to dental health. As the CDC notes, older adults are at higher risk for tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss, and because the federal Medicare program does not cover routine dental care, many seniors struggle to access treatment. At Hall Neighborhood House, our older adults can receive regular, preventative care and treatment from a provider they trust.

With our youngest neighbors, we are focusing on education, sealants and fluoride treatments that help prevent cavities. According to Dr. Jennifer Boyce, “Children should see a dentist by their first birthday.” In partnership with Fones School of Dental Hygiene, we plan to put every child in our Early Learning Center on the right path to proper and healthy dental practices by their first birthday — and then keep those practices going for years.

The CDC notes that as children grow, cavities and mouth pain can interfere with speaking, playing and learning, and students who have poor oral health often miss more school than those who don’t. Dental care is critically important for children and teens.

Throughout the process of starting the dental clinic, we kept our neighbors at the front of our minds, working to create solutions that met as many of their unique needs as possible.

We are improving access to quality preventative health care, and most importantly, showing our neighbors that we care about them.