Community Activist Jordan Baer Starts Petition To Bring Back Low Income Dental Clinic

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jordan baer

by Jordan Baer posted without opinion, bias or editing

Local activist Jordan Baer has started an online petition to bring back the low income dental clinic that was closed last year. In the petition, Baer cited several reasons for the need to reinstate the clinic with the most notable being the need for the community to take care of its indigent residents. Baer is petitioning the Vanderburgh County Council and Commission, the Evansville City Council, and Deaconess and St. Mary’s hospitals that began the clinic in 2006.

Baer noted the recent bipartisan progress on repairing the two local city cemeteries as well as the tremendous community progress made towards fighting the city’s blight as examples as to how both Vanderburgh County and the City of Evansville can come together to find a way to reopen this clinic. “If you look at how both the City-County Observer and the Courier & Press rallied together to fight the blight, I really don’t see a reason why anyone can’t sign this petition and help get it out in front of the local residents to sign it as well. ” said Baer.

Baer also stated that both the public and private sectors will have to come together if the clinic is to reopen its doors. Baer estimated that it would probably cost a little under $300,000 a year but said that this figure could easily be reached if the public, private, and non-profit sectors were willing to come back together to jointly fund the operation. Baer said he is willing to meet with both sides to work out a plan that is viable for all interested parties.

When asked why Baer chose the City-County Observer to debut his petition he said the following: “I am truly grateful for the support the CCO has given me. They have allowed me to accomplish things I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to accomplish due to the city’s closed door politically mentality. Hopefully other media outlets will follow in their footsteps like we saw with the housing blight issue.”

You can sign Baer’s petition at the website below:

https://www.change.org/petitions/vanderburgh-county-council-commission-reinstate-funding-for-the-low-income-dental-clinic-recruit-additional-private-funding-sponsors

 

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24 COMMENTS

  2. Something has to be done about Indiana dental care; I went to Chicago and got ALL my upper teeth pulled with a general for just $800. Normal, individual rates.

    Right now I need to get FOUR teeth pulled, at the front (so they’re easy) and they want A THOUSAND DOLLARS A TOOTH. I went there from a homeless organization!

    Oh: and they don’t like to do general anesthesia; so that’ll cost extra!

    Do yourself a favor: jump over the border to Illinois when it’s time for tooth work. You and your health insurance will both breathe easier!

  4. Good job, Jordan! Keep us posted on anything we can do to help. I think this would be a much better gift from the Rotarians that the “Centennial Wetlands.”

  5. The reconstitution of the Vanderburgh County Community Dental Clinic should be a priority. Perhaps more of our local dentists will step forward and give a little of their time. Maybe an unholy consortium of the local hospitals and the casino could conspire to fund it. Get the money then earmark and steelcase it, lock it down. At this point let politicians around it only if supervised by armed apes. Their job on the team will be to continue to fund the county’s part of the project, pretty much in perpetuity. Make it the third rail of local politics, anyone trying to cheapen the deal is summarily frog-walked out of the Civic Center and sent to scoop duty at the dog park. It is important to get a clinic running. Commitments for future funding will be easier to come by with a clinic actually serving people.

    The County Council (and Commissioners) should have addressed this on their own inititive. Better they get behind it late than never. I am glad someone is doing something to try to move this forward. Call it good for downtown, that should get it rolling.

    Some background:
    http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/jun/22/30pt-hed1-10-hed1-10-inches-p/?print=1

    • Couldn’t agree more. So make sure you sign it. I did earlier and want to see more names on this. I know several who were patients there before they came to my office. The pain they were in was at times unbearable. It’s not funny or something to mess around with.

      I wonder what Marsha/Bruce, Pete/John, and all the others think about this petition? I sure hope they are asked about it if they don’t sign.

    • You’re right about making this a priority. Good dental care is necessary to everyone’s health.

  6. Jordan please give a address so all of these back slapping cheerleaders can send you a check…..

    • This is actually a good point Al. Jordan, could you open an account at a local financial institution and collect donations for the clinic. This would actually show that the public is interested.

      Some may remember that awhile back ECHO was trying to piece together a system where they would screen and organize a process to direct patients to dentists who volunteered to see these people at medicaid rates. By doing this, it is my understanding that money could be saved because unlike the local clinic where salaries, supplies, utilities etc need to be paid, there would be a set knowable fee for each service. There were at least 15 dentist who signed up for this program to see patients in their office. ECHO would appoint, confirm the appointment, and if needed arrange transportation for the patient.

      There was some money made available for this program and ECHO was trying to raise more. I believe they needed about $100,000+ the last I heard. Our office signed up for this program and we also do other services for people in need in the community. But the community has to step up. Also the fact that with the ECHO program, they will not schedule a patient again who has failed to show up for an appointment once he/she is on say antibiotics for example and is feeling better. The tooth will get worse again and then we have a repeat of the “no show” behavior. This is part of the problem with the lack of patient education that is so needed in this area. It is critical that this education starts with early childhood.

      This clinic is a needed service but it is only a backstop for the bigger picture of needed education and other health issues in Evansville. Oral health is intertwined with systemic health. It does not stand alone. And all this jazz about hotels and games is worthless until public health and environmental health are addressed. It says volumes about Evansville that $14 million could be raised in 2 days for a building and $300,000 cannot be raised in a year for human beings.

  9. What does Wayne Parke have to say about this? After all didn’t Winnecke support this clinic as Commissioner? For Parke or Winnecke not to sign this petition would just look like they are too bitter against Baer to get something positive done for the community. Where you at Wayne?

  10. Jordan, I’m quite happy to sign this! It could make all the difference for some families in our community!

  12. Any word yet from winnecke and Parke? I thought they were all about doing positive things , no?

  13. Mole give up your hatred….Without a doubt you are showing your bias at the same time destroying what little reputation you have…….

  14. If anyone is showing a bias sharpie it’s you. Winnecke and Parke are nowhere to be found on this. Why? Why have they turned their back on their own idea? I live in the far northwestern tip of the county and voted no on consolidation but this is something we all need to come together on. I’m glad Jordan is leading the charge. It’s a shame we have people suffering because the city bosses want to play politics.

    • Agreed Mole. Everytime you turn around those two are acting like kids. That whole Woods N Woods no show was childish enough. This just reinforces my opinion of them. I’m proud of those who are displaying their names on the letter. It says a lot about what we as a society can work hand in hand on even when the royalty is throwing fits.

  15. Hey CCO it’s about time you give community activist Jordan Baer a “Mole Award”. First was the “Front Door Blight” article. Next the “Grave Injustice” awareness campaign and now bringing the “Dental” issue up for public discussion. This young man is a true “Community Activist”! I hereby nominate Jordon Baer as one of your 2014 “Mole Award” winners.

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