PORTLAND, Ore. – Oct. 23, 2017 – Concordia University received a grant of $59,064 from Kaiser Permanente to promote dental health as part of the 3 to PhD® initiative, a collaboration between Concordia University, Portland Public Schools’ Faubion School, Trillium Family Services, and Kaiser Permanente.
Funding supports essential equipment for onsite dental services to serve students and their families at the Kaiser Permanente 3 to PhD® Wellness Center. The 2,500 sq. ft. wing of the new Faubion School + Concordia University facility opened this fall, 2017, in NE Portland and is devoted to health, wellness and nutrition.
“Poor oral health negatively affects kids' ability to learn,” said Dr. Sarah Sweitzer, Dean of Concordia’s College of Health & Human Services. “3 to PhD addresses the link between dental health and students’ ability to remain focused on school and learning.”
Onsite dental health helps minimize lost learning time through preventative care and prompt treatment of oral health problems. A healthy mouth allows a child to chew without pain, interact with other students without fear of bad breath, and impacts health later in life. Providing dental services inside the school creates access and minimizes missed class time for students, missed work time for parents, and transportation to and from appointments.
“Prevention and early intervention in dental health are critical in achieving total health,” said Tracy Dannen-Grace, Director of Community Partnerships & Philanthropy for Kaiser Permanente Northwest
. “This grant is part of Kaiser Permanente’s ongoing commitment to 3 to PhD® and our overall mission to provide high-quality, affordable care for the broader community.”
ABOUT KAISER PERMANENTE COMMUNITY BENEFIT
Community Benefit connects Kaiser Permanente with the communities we serve, expanding our influence beyond our clinics and hospitals to create new and equal opportunities for everyone to live a long, healthy life. In 2015, we contributed more than $141 million toward healthier communities in the Northwest.
ABOUT CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY
With a mission of preparing leaders for the transformation of society, Concordia University-Portland serves more than 5,000 students on campus, and online, through its College of Education, College of Health & Human Services, College of Arts, & Sciences, School of Management and School of Law in Boise, Idaho. 3 to PhD® creates safer, healthier, more educated communities – from prenatal care through pursuing one’s highest dreams – to ensure young people can pursue their highest potential. For more information visit www.3toPhD.org and on social media @3toPhDpdx. For more about Concordia University, visit www.cu-portland.edu and www.concordialaw.com.
