Minutes - 20030415 - Laserfiche WebLink

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position to serve children and adult patients in both clinical locations and serve as clinical director and clinical supervisor of the County's dental program effective June 2, 2003; to reduce the current full time Dental Hygienist position to part time 20 hours; and to amend the Classification and Pay Plan to add the new classification of Dentist at salary grade 83. Health Director Rosemary Summers said that they are proposing to realign resources to hire a dentist position for the health department. They will fund the cost of this position by realigning the budget and reducing the professional services contract with the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry and realigning the Dental Hygiene position to a half-time position. She acknowledged the board members that wanted to make comments. PUBLIC COMMENT: Janet Southerland is a past Orange County Board of Health member and dentist representative and past vice-chair. She said that in the past the program has been contracted with the UNC School of Dentistry for a portion of the Director's time. The Director coordinates to have other faculty came into the dental clinic. As time has gone on, there has been a need for change because of the increased responsibility of the Director at the school and in his progress of retirement very soon. This has left a gap in continuity of care. She thinks that this is the perfect opportunity for the Board of County Commissioners to enhance dental services for the County. Jessica Lee is the current dental representative an the Board of Health. She is also an the UNC faculty and has been apart-time faculty member at the dental clinic. She is excited about this position because of the retirement and the phase out of the Director. She highlighted the importance of continuity of care for our citizens. These patients see different dentists on different days of the week and this is not good. This needs to be improved with one dentist and increasing the continuity of care. She said that there is also potential for increased revenue by having a consistent person. Lorie Sotelo is a client at the Orange County dental clinic. She said that it would be reassuring to know that her children would see a familiar face. Her child has some different allergies and it is frustrating for her to have to explain this to different dentists each time. She has six children that have been to the dental clinic and it would be nice to see the same face each time. She would like to see a full time dentist there that is consistent. Chair Brown summarized the Manager's recommendation. Commissioner Jacobs asked Rosie Summers to walk through the cost differential. Rosie Summers said that the current budget contract for part-time dentists is $86,450. For afull-time dental position, they believe the contract would be $89,043. The dental position cost is estimated to be $112,637, which includes benefits and malpractice insurance. There is a full-time resident that rotates and a pediatric resident that comes in one day a week. They plan on keeping these two residents. The subtotal for next year's budget would be $142,769, and the new scheme would be $166,363. They will balance this with the reduction in the full-time dental hygienist at $49,521 full-time going to half time at $37,200, which includes benefits. The total cost in a change in the way services are delivered goes from $201,214 to $203,563 for improved service. Commissioner Jacobs made reference to the comment by Jessica Lee that there would be increased revenue by having a consistent person. He asked if it would be wiser to wait and see if you need to cut the dental hygienist in half. Rosie Summers said that it would be preferable to have the option of having more than ahalf-time dental hygienist. She was trying to make the proposal budget neutral. Commissioner Jacobs said that he would feel comfortable to add the hygienist back to full-time if the revenue warranted it.