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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 27, 2006 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. _ <br />SUBJECT: Contract with UNC School of Dentistry and Health Department for Services of a <br />Dentist <br />DEPARTMENT: Health PUBt_IC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Contract Rosemary Summers, 245-2411 <br />PURPOSE: To consider approving a contract for the provision of dental clinical services for the <br />Health Department by a UNC School of Dentistry faculty member. <br />BACKGROUND: The Health Department's clinical dental program began in 1980 through a <br />grant from the Robert Wood .lohnson Foundation. The UNC School of Dentistry has been an <br />integral part of the provision of services to Orange County residents through the Health <br />Department, The model that was gradually adopted had a number of different part-time faculty <br />members who provided services at the Health Department. Over time, this resulted in high <br />ttrnover of dentists as there was no individual commitment to the clinics or the patients, When <br />a dentist left, clinics were often cancelled due to the lack of a replacement, Continuity of care <br />for the patients was affected by this rapid turnover of itinerant dentists. The Board of <br />Commissioners, upon recommendation of the Board of Health, approved a .8 FTE dentist <br />position in June of 2003. Recnaitment of a dentist has been difficult because of the competitive <br />private practice salaries of dentists, The current dentist, Dr. Stephanie Rodriguez, is returning <br />to Texas (her home state) at the end of June, after one year of service with the Health <br />Department. <br />The Health Department, with the assistance of the Personnel Department, began recruitment <br />for this position in January, immediately upon notice that Dr. Rodriguez was vacating the <br />position. The Department has explored all qualified candidates and made offers to at least two <br />dentists who have accepted other positions at either higher salaries or with a loan repayment <br />package that is currently not available to Orange County. The Health Department is currently <br />discussing the development of a loan repayment option for the dentist position with Personnel, <br />Finance, and the County Attorney. That process may take some time to develop and, in the <br />meantime, the Health Department must be able to cover the services for County residents, <br />