JUNE EDITION, VOLUME 2022, NO. 6
WE CARE DENTAL NETWORK - 30-YEAR EVOLUTION OF DENTISTRY COLLABORATION By Walter E. Colón, D.M.D., MS, We Care Dental Network Advisory Committee Chair, Donating We Care Dental Network Provider, and Vice President of the CMS Foundation Board of Directors Congratulations to the Capital Medical Society Foundation (CMSF) for their initiative in creating the We Care Network and for its growth and evolution over the last 30 years. Reviewing the yearly records of care produced by the We Care Network is always a humbling experience and one reminder of the awesome medical community we are fortunate to have available. The We Care Network successfully provides valuable structure, organization, a road to access, and support to those in need. The Capital Medical Society Foundation created, and has maintained, a program that is emulated by many. When originally created in 1992, the We Care Network did not have a dental component. However, it was not long before a patient benefited from dental work due to the need to treat an infection prior to a medical procedure. The early value placed on dental care by Tallahassee physicians was, and remains, beyond many other communities without question. Understanding the mouth-body connection is something lacking in many areas around the country. By the late '90s, there was a small group of dentists treating patients when requested by a We Care Network Case Manager in isolated cases. These dentists provided care, free of charge, and when called upon. Most cases arose when a physician expressed a need for emergency treatment prior to their treatment, or due to a patient in pain from dental origin. The office I joined upon arrival to Tallahassee participated in these
requests and gave me the opportunity to treat We Care Network patients and lead our office in this regard. That opportunity led to a seat on the CMSF Access to Care Committee. It was in an Access to Care Committee meeting that the late Dr. Charles Mathews put forward the idea and requested that a Dental Committee be formed. The We Care Dental Network Dental Committee was born in 2003 with Drs. Larry Pijut, Jay Walton, Larry Weaver, and myself. This committee introduced the We Care Network to the Leon County Dental Association and for some time worked with the CMSF staff in advancing the dental component. The Dental Committee was eager to assist the We Care Network donating physicians with their recognized need. Karen Wendland, former Capital Medical Society Executive Director, was instrumental in sparking relationships that have lasted, and in engaging the dental community. A few years later, the late Dr. Ed Zapert’s involvement proved to be vital in contributing in many ways. He offered access to the Molar Express, the health department’s dental clinic, for the We Care Dental Network to host dental clinic days for its donating dental providers. Over the years, the number of dental care providers has increased; the number of committee participants has increased; and CMSF dedicated a Case Manager to the CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
CAPITAL MEDICAL SOCIETY 2022 MEETINGS CALENDAR September 20, 2022 CMS Membership & CME Meeting One-Hour CME Topic: Advances in Migraine Treatment Presenter: Danny Estupiñán, M.D. 6:00 pm Maguire Center for Lifelong Learning at Westminster Oaks
October 18, 2022 CMS Membership & CME Meeting Two-Hour Required CME Topic: Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking Presenter: Suzanne Harrison, M.D. 6:00 pm Maguire Center for Lifelong Learning at Westminster Oaks CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
