25-03-2025
New Carthage dental facility to serve underserved patients set to open this year
CARTHAGE, Mo. — A new dental care expansion focusing on underserved patients in eastern Jasper County is just weeks away from opening.
Crews are aiming to open the new Carthage Access Family Care facility on Fairview in early May.
This will add two dentists to the area, and eventually add more medical and behavioral health services to the community later this year.
'Access' officials tell us they've made room to eventually add teaching services, too, hoping to invite 3rd-year dental students from KCU to get practical experience.
The 29,000 square foot facility is getting renovated with the purpose of serving a population that doesn't necessarily have regular primary medical or dental care.
'There are a lot of Medicaid patients that are in eastern Jasper County. And, Medicaid is our primary focus of service. We see about 75 percent of our population here in Carthage is Spanish-speaking, so we serve a lot of Hispanic people. We have staff that speak Spanish. So, it's been a lot of need here that a lot of other places can't facilitate. And we're excited to serve that,' said Steve Douglas, Access Family Care director of marketing and public relations.
The $5,000,000 remodel is still a bit short of its financial goal.
Several foundations in and around Carthage have made significant contributions, but 'Access' is still looking to raise about a million dollars to meet that goal.
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