Dental reimbursement program - the institute for advanced medicine dental clinics provides quality dental care for HIV+ patients

ST Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center (doing business as MT. Sinai ST. Luke's and MT. Sinai West) received a $749,098 Project Grant award from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) HIV/AIDS Bureau under the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part F Dental Reimbursement and Community Based Dental Partnership Grants (CFDA 93.924) for the period of September 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026. The award supports the Institute for Advanced Medicine Dental Clinics' provision of quality dental care services to low-income, HIV-positive patients in New York City.

The grant funds a dental reimbursement program that simultaneously delivers patient care and resident dental education. Under this initiative, dental residents rotate through the clinic for approximately four-week periods, during which they gain clinical experience and confidence in treating medically compromised, HIV-positive patients. Educational activities include case reviews, discussions of medical issues relevant to HIV patient care and advances in HIV treatment, observation of patient-provider interactions, and supervised participation in direct patient treatment. This integrated approach addresses the program's dual objectives of improving access to oral health care services for low-income people living with HIV while supporting education and training for dental professionals in HIV care delivery.

The goal when training residents is to teach them how to confidently treat HIV+ patients. Each resident rotates approximately four weeks at our clinic. During their rotation, they review cases, discuss medical issues relating to the care of their patients and advances in HIV care, the residents observe how we interact with patients, and they help treat some patients. This crucial exposure to HIV+ patients has helped young residents gain confidence and experience in treating medically compromised patients.