Building the Capacity of California's Safety Net: Lessons From the Strengthening Community Dental Practices Demonstration

Abstract

• Community dental practices provide "safety net" services to populations who would otherwise have limited access to care. The financial crisis of recent years has made it increasingly difficult for safetynet dental practices to serve people most in need while still balancing their books. • The California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) and the California Pipeline Program (CPP) funded a demonstration project to test the effectiveness of practice-management consulting as a strategy for helping California's community clinics survive and thrive. This model emphasizes customized technical assistance to enhance the business infrastructure behind the delivery of care.