On-site dental services available for Deschutes jail inmates through nonprofit partnership

Published 4:15 pm Thursday, July 6, 2023

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has started providing dental hygiene treatment for those housed in the adult jail in a partnership with Medical Teams International, according to a news release.

“Dental disease can be extreme in the jail environment, and for some, jail or prison is the only time in their adult lives when they will have seen a dentist,” the release stated. “Once in custody, individuals are unable to visit the dentist on their own, so correctional staff struggle to find ways to assist inmates while they suffer both pain and complications.”

Mobile dentistry, which uses portable equipment and vans to provide care, offers inmates dental services within the jail itself, including fillings, extractions and treatment of severe gum disease.

This relieves barriers such as cost, availability and safety that often limit dental health care access for those who are incarcerated.

“Ultimately, we’re giving inmates services they otherwise wouldn’t get,” said Sgt. Jason Wall, a sheriffs office spokesman.

The sheriff’s office plans to schedule one session a month for inmates. The first one took place last week.

Medical staff at the jail became interested in partnering with the nonprofit organization after seeing the Medical Teams van visiting places like Veterans’ Outreach and homeless camps around Central Oregon, the release stated.

Ensuring dental care for inmates is important as the American Dental Association has reported that good oral hygiene is connected to overall health and well-being, the release stated. Periodontal disease, which refers to the infection and inflammation of gum and bones surrounding teeth, is linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and pregnancy complications.

“After many months of coordination, we were thrilled to have them come to our facility to allow more patients to be seen in a month than taking adults in custody to dental appointments one at a time,” stated the release. “It will not only save time but allow more patients to be treated for less money.”

Previously, inmates needed to be individually escorted outside the facility by multiple deputies to receive dental care, Wall said.

With mobile dentistry, he said, the sheriff’s office can avoid unnecessarily releasing inmates from the jail and remain in a secure location.

“Instead of taking people to the facilities, we’re bringing the facilities to them,” Wall said.