With grants received from the Delta Dental Foundation, NorthShore Health Center is able to bring innovative and beneficial dental resources to their patients.
NorthShore Heath Centers provides quality, affordable healthcare services at multiple locations across Porter, Lake, La Porte, and Jasper counties. Their clinics and offices offer primary care as well as many specialties, including dental services. They are equipped with advanced diagnostic and imaging technology to provide the best possible care to all patients, regardless of insurance status.
Dr. Firas Adhami is the Director of Dentistry at NorthShore Health Centers. Since graduating dental school in 2015, he has been practicing public health dentistry at different health centers in Wisconsin and Indiana. He joined NorthShore Health Centers in October 2024 and is excited to provide dental services at its new Gary and Merrillville locations.
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“Every health center I’ve worked at runs significantly differently, but in the end, all of them are helping patients regardless of insurance,” says Adhami. He notes that some of the latest initiatives and programs at NorthShore are part of the reason he enjoys his work that makes a difference in patients’ lives.
Preventative dental care for young children may not be the first thing that parents think about during well-child visits. “Parents focus on weight, heights, and vaccines,” Adhami explains. “But if you look at the body to keep it healthy, the mouth is an important part of that.” Fluoride varnish is one treatment that benefits toddlers by preventing tooth decay and reducing the risk of cavities developing in baby teeth. “A six-month varnish application can make toddler teeth stronger. They may have a few teeth, but it is essential to maintain their health.”
However, pediatric dental exams are often not a top priority, especially for those without insurance. Dr. Adhami shares data on NorthShore patients between the ages of 1 and 3 years old. “Last year, the dental department saw 151 patients while the medical department saw 12,035.”
Through a grant by Delta Dental Foundation, NorthShore Health Centers received 5,950 fluoride varnish applications for patients between the ages of one and three years old. The program also provided training and supplies for the medical team that takes care of well-child visits. “Our medical colleagues are able to provide this intervention at the same time that children are weighed and vaccinated. It’s a pretty innovative initiative.”
The dental team at NorthShore Health Centers also provides outreach to preschools, offering screenings, fluoride applications, and education about good oral hygiene. Give Kids a Smile Day, a program held every year on the first Friday of February and August, provides free cleanings, X-rays, sealants, and fluoride varnish for children ages 1 to 17 who are not covered by insurance. Community outreach is especially important for those who may have difficulty visiting a clinic, and maintaining a clean, healthy mouth is essential for everyone, regardless of insurance coverage.
A separate Delta Dental Foundation grant also funded special scanning equipment for the dental team. This innovative technology simplifies the process of taking impressions and reduces some of the discomfort patients may associate with dental procedures. Dr. Adhami explains, “Instead of using impression material that can be uncomfortable or taste bad, we use an instrument that looks like a camera in the patient’s mouth. It takes images of the teeth which we send electronically to the lab. It increases the accessibility and speed for dentures, crowns, and bridges.” He is enthusiastic about the technology and hopes that it will elevate the patient experience.
“I am thankful for the people who made all this happen,” says Adhami. “Tricia Hall, our Senior Director of Brand Strategy, who applied for the grants. Also, the Delta Dental Foundation for their contributions to NorthShore, and health centers and causes.”
Dr. Adhami connects these efforts with the mission of NorthShore Health Centers, which is “to provide the most comprehensive and quality healthcare, without exclusion, to everyone, every time.“
“These initiatives are examples of how NorthShore lives its mission every day.”
