Funds will help expand dental program on Milwaukee campus from 13 to 19 chairs
MILWAUKEE, Wis., July 7, 2023 — Children’s Wisconsin is excited to announce $4.8 million has been included in the state budget to support expansion of the Children’s Wisconsin Dental Center. In addition to state funding and philanthropic resources, Children’s Wisconsin will also directly invest $3.1 million to cover the total cost of the expansion.
Children’s Wisconsin is extremely grateful for the support throughout the budget process. We want to give special thanks to these elected officials for their critical roles: Governor Tony Evers, for including it in his original proposal and signing it into law; Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R-Irma) and Rep. Robert Wittke (R-Racine), for championing the proposal in the legislature; the Joint Finance Committee co-chairs Howard Marklein (R- Spring Green) and Mark Born (R- Beaver Dam), and members Sen. Joan Ballweg (R- Markesan) and Sen. Pat Testin (R- Stevens Point); and finally, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R- Oostburg) and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R- Rochester) for their support.
The funding will support a brand new dental office on the Children’s Wisconsin Milwaukee campus, expanding from 13 existing exam chairs to 19. We anticipate that within 18 months of the renovation, visits will increase – from just over 12,000/year to as much as 22,000.
“The need for dental care is great, particularly for kids and families with special medical needs or who are covered by Medicaid,” said Lori Barbeau, DDS, medical director of the Children’s Wisconsin Dental Center. “We are so grateful to have partners in state government who recognized that Wisconsin children deserve better. This expansion will help Children’s care for even more kids who need dental care.”
Children’s Wisconsin is one of the largest providers of pediatric dental care in the state, currently seeing approximately 22,000 visits every year across four locations. More than 90 percent of those who receive dental care at Children’s Wisconsin are covered through Medicaid. Additionally, 35 percent of patients are kids with special medical needs or disabilities and adults with disabilities who have grown up in the program. As one of only a few dental programs serving the region’s most vulnerable — those with disabilities and on Medicaid — we have as many as 4,000 new patients waiting for appointments.
The new space will also allow improved accommodations to deliver special care dentistry with features that support the needs of patients with disabilities. This will include a low-sensory waiting area and exam rooms. Low lighting, soft design and attention to sensory details (spacing of chairs, textures of materials, calming music and minimalistic design) will offer patients and families an escape from the sensory overload of the larger reception area. Work on the new location is expected to start in 2023.
Children’s Wisconsin Dental Center provides services at four locations. In addition to the space on the Milwaukee campus, the program provides services at the Children’s Wisconsin Forest Home, Midtown and Next Door clinics.
