Apple Tree Dental

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - APPLE TREE DENTAL WILL USE THIS FEDERAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF THE HAWLEY CENTER FOR DENTAL HEALTH SO IT CAN PROVIDE ESSENTIAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO CONSTITUENTS IN NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA. THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO CRITICALLY NEEDED DENTAL SERVICES, REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES, AND IMPROVE CARE COORDINATION BETWEEN REGIONAL HEALTH PARTNERS. IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE NEW JOBS AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE REGION. THE UNMET NEEDS IN THE REGION ARE ENORMOUS. IN 2020, THERE WERE 35,000 PUBLIC PROGRAM ENROLLEES IN THE COUNTIES SURROUNDING THE HAWLEY CENTER, AND LESS THAN 40% OF THESE PATIENTS RECEIVED EVEN ONE DENTAL VISIT. WITHOUT ACCESS TO ROUTINE PREVENTIVE CARE, TEETH DECAY RAPIDLY, PERIODONTAL DISEASE PROGRESSES, AND TEETH ARE LOST. THIS DOWNWARD SPIRAL LEADS TO HIGHER DENTAL AND MEDICAL COSTS, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES, HEART DISEASE, AND OTHER CHRONIC CONDITIONS. SADLY, IN MAY WE HAD 890 PATIENTS ON THE HAWLEY CENTER’S WAITING LIST. FOR NEARLY THREE YEARS, APPLE TREE HAS COLLABORATED WITH A BROAD GROUP OF LOCAL AREA STAKEHOLDERS TO CREATE A MULTI-YEAR COORDINATED EXPANSION PLAN THAT OPTIMIZES OUR STRENGTHS AND GEOGRAPHIC REACH. THIS PROJECT IS READY TO LAUNCH THIS FALL. APPLE TREE’S EXISTING HAWLEY CENTER, WHICH OPENED IN 1997, HAS 3,000 SQUARE FEET OF UNUSED SPACE. WE WILL ADD FIVE NEW DENTAL TREATMENT ROOMS, INCREASING CAPACITY BY MORE THAN 50% TO 14 TREATMENT ROOMS. AFTER MORE THAN 25 YEARS, REMODELING IS NEEDED TO MAKE THE ENTRANCE AND TREATMENT AREAS MORE ACCESSIBLE, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PARKING, AND TO CREATE WORKSPACES FOR A LARGER AND MORE DIVERSE STAFF. A MODERN, FULLY-EQUIPPED CLINIC WILL ALSO HELP TO RECRUIT NEW PROFESSIONALS TO JOIN OUR RURAL WORKFORCE. THE LOCAL BENEFITS OF THIS PROJECT GO BEYOND THE INCREASE IN ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS IN THE REGION. OUR TOTAL PAID STAFF AT THE HAWLEY CENTER WILL INCREASE AND THAT GROWTH WILL INFUSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS PER Y EAR INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY. WE ARE PROUD OF APPLE TREE’S SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS TO RECRUIT AND TRAIN DIVERSE TEAM MEMBERS WHO CAN CREATE TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES. IN SUMMARY, THIS PROJECT IS READY TO GO, AND IS DESPERATELY NEEDED BY MINNESOTANS LIVING IN THE NORTHWEST REGION OF THE STATE. THE RETURN ON FEDERAL INVESTMENTS IS ENORMOUS.