Rutgers Denture Program Helps Low-income Elderly

More than 25 percent of Americans over age 60 have no natural teeth and 70 percent have no dental insurance

For someone who can’t afford dentures, a brand new set can mean the start of a new life. That’s what students and faculty learned from Rutgers School of Dental Medicine’s Dentures for Seniors program, developed by faculty member Nicholas DePinto and funded with a $25,000 grant from Delta Dental.

“Before dentures, some patients complained they were losing weight because they couldn’t eat nutritious foods. Others couldn’t leave the house because they were ashamed of how they looked without teeth,’’ says DePinto, dental director at Community Oriented Dental Education clinic in Galloway Township, South Jersey. “With dentures, they were able to interview for jobs and even start dating because their self-esteem was boosted now that they were able to smile,’’ he said.

Thanks to the Dentures for Seniors program, available to low-income patients 65 or older who had lost all their teeth, a total of 20 patients at the dental centers in Northfield, Somerdale and Galloway have received free dentures and five more are scheduled to be fitted.

More than 25 percent of Americans over age 60 have no natural teeth, according to the Center for Disease Control, and more than 70 percent have no dental insurance. For many, dentures are unaffordable, costing between $1,240 and $2,500 at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) clinic and up to $9,000 total for upper and lower dentures at a private practice.

Although the American Dental Association recommends replacing dentures every five years, and the lifespan of most dentures is no more than 12 years, some Dentures for Seniors patients had worn ill-fitting sets for more than 20 years.

Others had lived for decades without teeth.

“Some patients were in tears when they found out they wouldn’t be paying for dentures,’’ says DePinto. “Some had just gone through some difficult times, burying loved ones, financial burdens from family issues. When they got their dentures, they were ecstatic. It was very emotional for me as well. I never thought a program I developed would have such an impact so many patients. Some would introduce me to their loved ones, saying “Because of Dr. DePinto, I have teeth. I can smile now because of him.’’

Said patient Helen Mason, “I love my dentures and it would have been a hardship for me to afford them. They are a big improvement in my life.’’

For students, the experience was also meaningful. “Students from all backgrounds are in dental school and some may be very wealthy and have never met patients who live below the poverty level,” DePinto explains. “This allows them to fabricate dentures without having to pressure patients into bringing in payment for each visit. They learn the value of programs like these, so they can apply for similar programs after graduation. Providing free dental care to those in dire need is something that impacts everyone, including the patient, the dentist, the students and the staff.’’