Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Commissioner Randy Wharton, left, Commission President Zach Abraham and Commissioner Don Nickerson preside over a commission meeting on Tuesday morning.

WHEELING — Last year, Wheeling Health Right received more than $36,000 from the Ohio County Commission to help fund a mobile unit to take health care into communities.

The free health care clinic now receives funding for that mobile unit, and now Health Right is asking the commission to re-allocated that money for its dental programs.

In Dec. 2024, commissioners approved a community grant for $36,552 for Wheeling Health Right to expand the days of service each week provided by its mobile health unit in the community.

The money was received by Wheeling Health Right under former executive director Kathie Brown.

But new director Anne Ricci explained that, since then, “the economic landscape” has changed at Health Right, and the organization would like to use the grant money toward expanding its dental services.

“The landscape has changed and the need has changed, and I wanted to meet to see if we could pivot from funding the mobile unit to funding our dental program,” she asked.

Over the past year, a lot has changed at Health Right, she continued. The organization has received funding from an anonymous donor that can be used for its mobile unit. In addition, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey has signed off on providing additional funding to free and charitable clinics who have a mobile unit.

Health Right operates under the values of holistic care and treating the entire person, Ricci added. Prevention is a major part of that component, and treating dental problems before they become major health problems has become a priority, she explained.

“We have integrated medical and dental, and I believe that medical and dental model improves lives and reduces long-term health care costs,” Ricci said.

“Our dental program succeeded in its original mission, which was to relieve pain. It is now acting as preventative practice for the uninsured and underinsured.’

The program is about more than just the care of teeth, she continued.

“It is a critical entry point to overall health for those who have nowhere else to turn,” Ricci said.

She told of one patient who came to Health Right with severe tooth pain and missing teeth.

The dental team examined him, suspected other health issues and referred him to another clinic.

He was later found to be suffering from COPD and life-threatening liver cirrhosis. Today he is in the final evaluation stage for a liver transplant at the Cleveland Clinic because of that referral, Ricci reported.

“Support from the Ohio County Commission is more than financial assistance. It reinforces our credibility, and opens doors to additional financial opportunities. It fosters relations within the community.”

Health Right sees about 130 dental patients in Ohio County, and many of them are in need of five to eight visits for a condition, according to Ricci.

Commission President Zach Abraham said the commission favored giving Health Right the grant for its mobile unit last year because they liked the idea of the clinic going into the community.

He asked if that was possible with the dental treatment.

Ricci said West Virginia University dental students working with Health Right will be going out into the community periodically to provide treatment.

Abraham noted Health Right has never requested the original funding approved for them by the commission last year be allocated as they received state funding to cover any costs.

Ricci explained the reallocation of the funds would go toward any needed equipment for the dental clinic, and would also help pay for the cost to provide dentures to patients.

Medicaid has increased the amount it will pay for dentures, but the patient “still has to pay something,” she continued.

“For some individuals who are uninsured, that is very difficult,” Ricci said.

Commissioners said they will consider the request at their next meeting, scheduled for 8 a.m. on Dec. 2.