• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Sunday, October 1, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

Special needs a specialty of Apple Tree Dental

by Bob Keller
December 31, 2016
8
SHARES
156
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

ADVERTISEMENT

(MGN On

 

 

Appropriate and competent dental care is needed for every population. Apple Tree Dental is a nonprofit group dental practice specializing in geriatric and special needs dental care.

Starting 31 years ago in 1985, the clinic was initially founded around the care of older adults and in-house older adults who lived in long-term care facilities or needed home health services. Dr. Michael Helgeson, Apple Tree CEO and one of the founders, told MSR, “The founders of Apple Tree have a strong history in geriatric dentistry.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

“That group in particular faces a lot of barriers to care, including their general health condition, their cognitive conditions, and other conditions that make it particularly hard to provide those services for them. Also, living in institutions gives them transportation barriers.”

Helgeson went through a two-year post-graduate program in geriatrics and special care dentistry. He proudly stated, “There are not too many dentist in the nation that have that kind of training for treating older adults, in particular older adults with more chronic problems such as frail older adults; [there are] also younger adults with special needs.

“They may have developmental disabilities, brain injuries, mental health issues, cognitive impairment, or a wide variety of conditions that require some special adaptations and different approaches that a general dentist may not be comfortable with,” Helgeson explained.

He also was in the public health field for four years and has experience working with underserved populations, low-income families, and service in rural communities. He brings the background of special care (working with populations that may need modified dental care) and public dental health to his work, which he says “is part of the DNA of Apple Tree Dental.”

Helgeson continued, “Many frail older adults end up spending the remaining of their savings on their healthcare needs and the majority, about three-quarters, become dependent on Medicaid when they are in long-term care facilities. The Medicaid program provides very little dental benefits, and it pays very little for dentistry. So there are financial barriers that are faced by that population as well.”

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Based on this need, the clinic developed new ways of care. They developed mobile, portable dental equipment and bring this equipment to their patients inside nursing homes, which helps to coordinate services with nursing staff and direct care givers. This opens up opportunities to give care where patients live. “Providing care where they live was one of the first innovations of Apple Tree Dental 31 years ago,” said Helgeson.

Today, they provide services to over 80 long-term care facilities in Minnesota. “Since 1985, we have developed programs that are similar to the special needs programs that reach low-income children at Head Start centers. We have school-based programs where we provide services to predominantly low-income families at their schools. We are delivering services to a mental health facility down in Rochester for patients with mental illness and chemical dependency.”

They also deliver care out in the community through mobile and portable systems. They call their clinics “Centers for Dental Health,” and they provide services to everyone, meaning they are open to the public. Currently, their centers for dental health in Minnesota are located in Holly, Fergus Falls, Coon Rapids, Mounds View, Madelia and Rochester. Their mobile and portable delivery systems serve the communities around those six main clinics.

What does the future hold for Apple Tree Dental? “We are looking forward to bridging the worlds of medical health and dental health. Over the last 30 years there has been more and more research that shows the connection between general health outcomes and dental health outcomes. Heart disease and diabetes are two conditions that are generally affected by conditions of the mouth,” Helgeson stated.

Apple Tree Dental looks forward to advocating for and educating more communities about special needs dental care and providing dental care to those who need it.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

 

For more information on Apple Tree clinics, visit their website at www.appletreedental.org or call them at 763-754-5780. This story was made possible by a grant from the Medtronic Foundation.

Brandi D. Phillips welcomes reader responses to bphillips@spokesman-recorder.com.

 

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

U of M sexual assault deeply rooted in American culture

Next Post

An enlarged prostate does not necessarily lead to cancer

Bob Keller

You Might Also Like

Prosecutors charge Nevada man for the murder of Tupac Shakur
Arts & Culture

Prosecutors charge Nevada man for the murder of Tupac Shakur

Black Business Spotlight: Syndicate Music Group
Black Business Spotlight

Black Business Spotlight: Syndicate Music Group

Concerns mount over ‘extreme’ school board candidates in Minnesota
Local

Concerns mount over ‘extreme’ school board candidates in Minnesota

Don’t forget to check your blood pressure
Health & Wellness

Don’t forget to check your blood pressure

Wanted: Younger workforce ready to learn about climate jobs
Go Green

Wanted: Younger workforce ready to learn about climate jobs

Gopher tennis coach rebuilds a competitive team
Sports

Gopher tennis coach rebuilds a competitive team

Next Post
An enlarged prostate does not necessarily lead to cancer

An enlarged prostate does not necessarily lead to cancer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Sep 12
September 12 @ 6:30 pm-December 18 @ 9:30 pm Recurring

Vic Volare Presents MUSIC FOR MARTINIS ft: Vic’s Fabulous Nightclub Academy

Oct 3
October 3 @ 8:30 am-October 4 @ 5:30 pm

Insects: Little Body, Big Impact | Nobel Conference 59 | Virtual or In-Person

Oct 4
6:00 pm-8:00 pm

An Evening with Liz Cheney

Oct 5
8:00 pm-10:00 pm Recurring

Dianne McIntrye Group In the Same Tongue

View Calendar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Read our latest e-Edition!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: