Penobscot Community Health Care is a non-profit organization governed by a board of community volunteers, incorporated in 1997. We are passionate about our Mission at PCHC We provide comprehensive, integrated primary health care servicesfor allto improve the health and wellbeing of our patients and the Maine communities we serve. Our vision for success is a community in which everyone has access to quality, cost-effective health care, where people are empowered to advocate for their personal goals and needs and are supported by community-based resources, and where health encompasses physical and emotional wellness, personal dignity, and a sense of belonging.
Focusing on the health of every patient, Penobscot Community Health Care offers a medical home with access to many health services in addition to primary health care, such as dental, integrated mental health, pharmacy, physical therapy, case management, health and nutrition education, chronic disease management, speech and audiology services, and many medical specialists.
PCHCs goal is to provide access to affordable, quality, health care for all, keeping both the insured and uninsured healthy, by focusing on prevention and health care management rather than a reliance on emergency room and inpatient services when sick.
Restructuring and new leadership have brought lots of change to the Dental Center. One thing that hasnt changed much in more than a decade: is the tight-knit hygiene team. Our dental hygienists have been like glue during the transitionbringing new groups together and focusing on morale and fun. To celebrate National Dental Hygienist Week, we wanted to highlight this special group.
The clinic features a roster of six hygienists with more than 70 years of experience collectively here at PCHC. Its readily apparent, however, that the number of years isnt the big deal; its how amazingly close this crew is.
Weve just been through a lot together, said Amanda Laganiere, RDH. Not every day do I want to get up and come to work, but I am guaranteed to laugh. In the last few months, Ive been through a lot of personal struggles. And those girls have been here for me. And I dont know what I would do without them.Carrie Curtis, RDH echoed those sentiments when sitting down with members of the team, noting that what theyve built at the Dental Center isnt commonly found.
I feel like if you were to go into private practice, with this many hygienists, Im not sure youd have that same bond, Curtis said. Laganiere added I think our dynamic is unique. I have a few hygiene friends that also work in other FQHCs throughout the state. And its not the same picture thats painted. So Id like to think its that we work well together, and we are all family-oriented.
I think we give new people that come in a great sense of comfort, Curtis said. We have a lot of new assistants and I think were all super inviting and welcoming. We can help you take an x-ray, and get the answer that you need, even if we dont know what it is. For dentists that come in, we know where to find things. We know how referrals work. We can be a great resource.
That institutional knowledge has been integral in day-to-day planning but has also may gone a long way in shaping the future of the practice, as the dental hygiene teams shares perspectives with new leadership.
We see a lot of patients with extensive medical histories, who are maybe not the healthiest or have the best access to care. Maybe they havent seen the medical world for a while. So coming in and teaching them about how issues may be intertwined. Explaining, `you have uncontrolled diabetes, and here is how its affecting your mouth. For me the rewarding part is teaching people the connection between overall health and dental health, Laganiere said.
Sometimes patients may come in and just want to talk and it could have nothing to do with teeth. But we just listen. We see patients who maybe dont have a lot going on outside of the dental world and this is a way to socialize and connect.