College Of Dental Medicine Receives $2.8 Million From New York State
NEW YORK (Oct. 2, 2008) – The New York State Department of Health has awarded the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine $2.8 million to be used for improvements in patient intake and emergency care at its 7th floor clinic in the Vanderbilt Building on the Columbia University Medical Center campus in the Washington Heights community of Northern Manhattan. The funds are being disbursed through the Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law (HEAL) program, a statewide effort designed to improve primary care services in underserved communities.
New York State Gov. David A. Patterson has announced a total of $100 million in HEAL Phase 6 funding, with a total of 79 awards going to local health departments and non-profit clinics throughout the state that provide services in neighborhoods and local communities. The award to the College of Dental Medicine’s on-site comprehensive care clinic is one of 32 awards totaling $45.6 million provided to health care facilities in the New York City region.
The College of Dental Medicine's community-based practices in Northern Manhattan offer a full range of oral health care services to the community. All clinics also provide medical care. Credit: CDM In the words of Gov. Patterson, these awards “focus on patient-centered care, and are aimed at improving primary care, including disease prevention and health promotion.” At the College of Dental Medicine, the money will be used to improve the oral radiology services offered in Vanderbilt, revamp the emergency dental treatment area and create a more welcoming environment where patients and doctors can interact more efficiently.
Every year, some 6,000 patients seek emergency care through the College of Dental Medicine, making Columbia the primary oral health care provider for New Yorkers in Northern Manhattan seeking access to care. Over the years, the College of Dental Medicine has operated its highly successful Community DentCare Network, forming partnerships and collaborations to ensure northern Manhattan’s low-income, underserved and uninsured residents have access to comprehensive, affordable, quality dental care.
“We are proud and excited to receive this award,” said Dr. Ira Lamster, dean of the College of Dental Medicine. “In a time of increasing economic uncertainty and when many community members cannot afford preventative care and must rely on emergency services, this award will fund the renovation and reconfiguration of the seventh floor of the Vanderbilt clinic, making it a state-of-the-art facility with reduced patient wait times and the capacity to handle a broader scope of emergency care.”
###
Columbia University College of Dental Medicine (CDM) was established in 1916 as the School of Dental and Oral Surgery, when the School became incorporated into Columbia University. The College’s mission has evolved into a tripartite commitment to education, patient care, and research. The mission of the College of Dental Medicine is to train general dentists, dental specialists, and dental assistants in a setting that emphasizes comprehensive dental care delivery and stimulates professional growth; inspire, support, and promote faculty, pre- and postdoctoral student, and hospital resident participation in research to advance the professional knowledge base; and provide comprehensive dental care for the underserved community of northern Manhattan. Further information can be found here: http://dental.columbia.edu.
Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, pre-clinical and clinical research, in medical and health sciences education, and in patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the College of Physicians & Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Established in 1767, Columbia's College of Physicians & Surgeons was the first institution in the country to grant the M.D. degree and is among the most selective medical schools in the country. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the largest medical research enterprise in New York City and state and one of the largest in the United States. For more information, please visit http://www.cumc.columbia.edu.