HUDSON, Fla. — A new kind of clinic is set to open next week inside the Pasco County Health Department's facility in Hudson.

The health department, in cooperation with Premier Community HealthCare, is opening a dental clinic for kids 18 and under.

The dental clinic will offer a sliding fee scale that is income based, and will allow children seen in the health department’s WIC (Women’s Infant and Children) clinic immediate access to dental exams and care.

What You Need To Know

  • Pasco County Health Department opening dental clinic 

  • The dental clinic will offer a sliding fee scale that is income based, and will allow children seen in the health department’s WIC clinic immediate access to dental exams and care

  • The new Premier Dental Clinic will open Monday, Aug. 26

Trang Chitakone is Administrator of Pasco’s Health Department and said catching dental issues in children early can help prevent bigger issues as the kids age.

“That’s where it works perfectly for our WIC clinic because we see kids from newborns to five years old, and so that’s the prime time to be able to say, ‘Hey, your kid’s getting the first tooth, let’s go see the dentist and make sure we are getting that preventative care right away,’” Chitakone said.

The new dental clinic is good news for health department employee Katie Hypner. 

She has four kids that are patients at Premier Health.

With the dental clinic close to their schools, and inside the same building she works in, it will cut down drive time to get to the dentist and provide more efficient care.

“We did have dental at one point at their Little Road location, so that’s where I was given the opportunity to take my children there,” Hypner said. And then we closed that down and I went to the Massachusetts clinic that they have for Premier.”

Premier Community Healthcare CEO Joey Resnick says access and efficiency in care ensures parents stay on top of the dental needs of their kids, and with a sliding fee income based payments, dental care is more affordable for families that need it most.

“We have found that in our organization, when you get convenience, it’s one stop shop,” Resnick said. “So the more services that we can provide at one time, the better off for the patients.”

The new Premier Dental Clinic will open Monday, Aug. 26 and will provide service to patients on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Eventually, Resnick says he hopes to have the clinic open five days a week.

For more information, visit Premier HealthCare Dental Services.