Dental Care in Your Home

Cathy M. Elliott

Elderly residents and those living in some rural areas in New Mexico don’t have to leave their assisted living facilities or drive far to receive dental help. 

Dental Care In Your Home is a full-service mobile unit created in 2010 by founder Cathy M. Elliott, a University of New Mexico graduate, who saw a similar mobile model while working as a contract dental hygienist for the Army in Germany.  The nonprofit employs 11 people, a dentist, four hygienists and two dental assistants, and provides service in Bernalillo, Valencia, Torrance and Santa Fe counties. The service will soon provide service in Taos County.

The nonprofit also has a student training agreement with the University of New Mexico, Pima Medical Institute and Central New Mexico Community College to help with the service.                                                          

Dental Care In Your Home averages about 125 patients per month, and has a goal of seeing of 1,500 patients this year. While the organization receives grants and donations for their service, they also have payment plans, which are done on a sliding scale, in addition receives payment from private insurance and Medicaid. 

Anthony DeVontenno, organization executive director, said a board member doing research found The Loan Fund.

“As a nonprofit, we needed something more in line with the organizational needs. Banks tend to be kind of stringent,” he said. “The Loan Fund was more amiable to working with a nonprofit coming out of COVID-19.”

Read more Dental Care In Your Home at dentalcareinyourhome.org.