With little income and no dental insurance, Chris Moore was often out of luck when he got a toothache.

ThatâÂÂs changed thanks to the Douglas County Dental Clinic, a nonprofit agency created to help the poor, homeless and uninsured.

âÂÂInstead of having to live with a toothache or find a dentist who might take payments, I can go there and get it fixed instead of trying to borrow money or save money,â Moore said Thursday. âÂÂItâÂÂs been a huge help.âÂÂ

The clinic is helping more people than ever since it hired its own dentist and became a full-time operation in July. Before that, it had been open only a few days a month since its December 2000 opening.

âÂÂIn October of last year, we had eight patients,â said Dan Gardner, the clinicâÂÂs director. âÂÂIn October of this year, we had 210 patients. WeâÂÂve kind of grown a little bit.âÂÂ

ItâÂÂs a welcome development among medical officials who serve the poor in Douglas County.

âÂÂPrior to the clinic, our program was sending out to volunteer dentists about 250 referrals a year,â said Nikki Rhea, director of Health Care Access. âÂÂBecause they were so limited, they could only take emergency cases Ãi¿½” people who were in pain Ãi¿½” and couldnâÂÂt really take care of any preventive issues.âÂÂ

Chris Budig graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City dental school in May, then signed on as the clinicâÂÂs full-time dentist.

âÂÂA lot of people who come to us for help really donâÂÂt have anywhere else to go,â Budig said.

Indeed, the clinic has a monthlong waiting list. And the numbers suggest many people are still using the Lawrence Memorial Hospital emergency room for dental problems; 224 did so in 2001, while 204 have made similar visits already this year.

âÂÂThese numbers show thereâÂÂs obviously potential for the dental clinic to serve people who are obviously using the emergency department,â said Janice Early-Weas, the hospitalâÂÂs director of community relations.

Gardner said the clinic could use dental volunteers and donations to help meet the need.

The clinic emerged out of a process that began in 1998 with the formation of the Douglas County Dental Coalition, composed of dentists, hygienists and other health-care professionals. Douglas County has been identified by the National Health Service Corps as a high-need area for low-cost dental care.

The clinic is largely funded by the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, in combination with donations from smaller organizations and individuals. It also charges patients on a sliding-fee scale, according to their ability to pay.

The clinic serves people whose income is up to twice the poverty line Ãi¿½” or up to $36,200 for a family of four.

âÂÂThereâÂÂs an estimated 25,000 people in Douglas County who could benefit from this,â Gardner said.

The clinic performs all types of dental work, including routine cleaning, root canals, crowns and bridges, but not dentures, Gardner said.

Moore, who receives a $500-a-month disability check for a back injury, is grateful for the service.

âÂÂDisability doesnâÂÂt give you dental insurance, so itâÂÂs the only place I get to go,â he said. âÂÂItâÂÂs got good service and good dentists.âÂÂ

Rhea said proper dental care made good health sense.

âÂÂDental care is really more than an aesthetic necessity,â Rhea said. âÂÂIt really is just as medical as anything else Ãi¿½” there are studies that connect dental health to heart disease. Your mouth is still part of your body, one more thing that needs special attention.âÂÂ