As part of its ongoing commitment to improving medical care accessibility, Whittier Street Health Center, a community health center with a mission to serve as a center of excellence that provides high quality and accessible health care and social services that achieve health equity, social justice, and the economic well-being of a diverse patient population, announces the launch of its new Mobile Dental and Vision Service.
With the introduction of the new service, Whittier’s Health on Wheels Program now operates five healthcare vans, each designed to help remove barriers to wellness support, such as transportation and insurance challenges.
The initiative aims to deliver dental and vision care directly to neighborhoods, ensuring more people receive these necessary services. By providing a comprehensive range of dental and vision care, including routine check-ups, cleanings, fillings, extractions, and preventative dental care, the mobile health van significantly improves access to essential health services. Vision services encompass eye exams, prescription glasses, and screenings for common eye conditions, further enhancing community well-being. Additionally, the initiative includes preventative care screenings for chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension, along with information on maintaining oral and vision health. This approach not only addresses immediate health needs but also fosters long-term wellness, ultimately contributing to a healthier, more resilient community.
In addition, the program will address health disparities and economic equity by increasing access to needed health care, improving connections to social services, and create quality jobs for low-income individuals with meaningful wages, comprehensive benefits, and wraparound services. Of the 14 full-time permanent jobs for the new Mobile Dental and Vision Health Clinic, 75% (11) will be filled by low-income individuals.
“We are thrilled to expand our Health on Wheels Program with the new Mobile Dental and Vision Service,” said Frederica M. Williams, president and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center. “This initiative underscores our commitment to breaking down barriers to healthcare access and ensuring that everyone in our community has the opportunity to achieve optimal health. By bringing essential dental and vision care directly to our neighborhoods, we are taking another significant step towards health equity and social justice.”
The dental and vision services van operates Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. as well as some Saturday hours. For more information, please contact the Mobile Health Care Team via email at mobilehealthservices@wshc.org or call 617-989-3212.
Whittier’s Mobile Health Program, launched in November of 2018, has grown from a single van to the present fleet of five, including a shuttle van service and a fully equipped mobile unit with two exam rooms, a bathroom, and a lab. This expansion of mobile service exemplifies Whittier’s mission to bring high quality health and social services directly to patients.
About Whittier Street Health Center
Whittier Street Health Center is an independently licensed community health care center with a mission of providing high quality, reliable and accessible primary healthcare for diverse populations while promoting wellness and eliminating health and social disparities. A champion of equitable access to high quality, patient-focused care, social justice and economic equity, Whittier Street Health Center is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC), certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home, and recognized by the NCQA for its Behavioral Health Integration. Through its locations in Roxbury and North Dorchester, and its Mobile Health Van program, Whittier Street Health Center serves more than 30,000 patients and 20,000 community outreach visits annually; its ethnically and racially diverse patient base is primarily made up of individuals from Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, the South End and greater Boston. Approximately 36% of Whittier’s patients are uninsured. Whittier Street Health Center provides a comprehensive array of 40 healthcare programs and services designed to meet the primary health care, behavioral health, and social needs of the community. For more information, please visit www.wshc.org as well as Facebook (www.facebook.com/
