None of us are home until all of us are home ,”
PROJECT
None of us are home until all of us are home ,”
is the encapsulating sentiment of the work Project HOME does in Philadelphia . Project HOME is a non-profit organization that tirelessly strives to end the cycle of homelessness in the city from several of its root causes .
The “ HOME ” in Project HOME stands for Housing , Opportunities for Employment , Medical Care , and Education – embodying the focus of the organization ’ s resources and services . There are diverse causes of homelessness , some of which include the disparity between working wages and housing costs , lack of affordable health care , racial inequality , and inadequate resources and support to provide opportunities for families and individuals . With Philadelphia having one of the highest poverty rates in the nation , the work of Project HOME and other similar organizations in the city is significant to leading change .
Nested within the community of North Philadelphia lies Project HOME ’ s federally qualified health center ( FQHC ), the Stephen Klein Wellness Center ( SKWC ). The SKWC provides an integrated health home to individuals who are homeless , members of the North Philadelphia community and low-income Philadelphia residents who are impacted by unaffordable health care . The modern building provides services in medical , dental , behavioral , medication-assisted treatment and more . Patients at SKWC can address their health and wellness needs in one spot with an on-site pharmacy , healthy nutrition programming , therapy classes and many more services that are being continuously added . Off-site from SKWC , Project HOME offers mobile health outreach services ( Hub of Hope , Pathways to Housing , Street Medicine ) to the residents of several of its housing sites and to people who are experiencing homelessness throughout the city .
The SKWC dental department provides a variety of emergency and comprehensive care services to its patients of all ages and underserved backgrounds . From exams and cleanings to extractions to dentures , the dental team addresses as many of the dental needs of the patients on-site as they can in order to improve the issues of affordability and access to care . The dental department consists of its own front desk lobby , nine operatories for patient care , a sterilization room , a panoramic and CBCT X-ray machine , a dental laboratory and a dental office for its staff members . With a patient-centered and health-integrated approach , the patients are able to receive comprehensive , affordable , and quality dental care .
The current SKWC dental team includes three dentists , two hygienists , three dental assistants , an EFDA and two front desk staff . The three dentists are our very own PDA members : Dr . Janine Burkhardt , Dr . Ingrid Carvo , and Dr . Selena Nguyen . Dr . Burkhardt ( Temple University ‘ 15 ) is the dental director and serves as the president of the Philadelphia County Dental Society as well as a council member on Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention ( CAAP ). She is a board member of National Network of Oral Health Access ( NNOHA ) and has led creative initiatives to broaden the reach and access of the dental services .
“ The addition of dental services at Project HOME has been instrumental in helping to provide whole-person healthcare . While housing , employment , medical care and education are key components of addressing the root causes of homelessness , oral health is also an essential piece ,” Dr . Burkhardt said .
Dr . Janine Burkhardt is the dental director for Project HOME .
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2024 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 15