The South Carolina Department of Public Health (SC DPH) administers the state's Ryan White Part B Program (dph.sc.gov), which partners directly with the AHF Healthcare Center - Columbia located in Richland County, South Carolina. Under this framework, oral healthcare is funded to ensure low-income individuals living with HIV have comprehensive access to necessary dental treatments.

The Program
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and South Carolina Department of Public Health (SC DPH) Oral Health Services Referral Program is a structured, localized clinical pipeline that connects low-income, eligible individuals living with HIV to necessary outpatient dental treatments

Clinical Point of Entry: Operating as a medical case management and primary care provider, AHF Healthcare Center - Columbia acts as the clinical point of entry, identifying patients who require specialized diagnostic, preventative, or therapeutic dental services and routing them into the state's authorized safety-net oral healthcare network.

Funding Source
Primary Resource: Federally funded through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part B Grant administered via the state of South Carolina.

Local Allocations: Part B funds are earmarked at the state level to ensure stable, comprehensive healthcare infrastructure and supportive services for individuals living with HIV, subject to strict procedural or financial service caps.

Administrative Oversight
Local Grantee: The South Carolina Department of Public Health (SC DPH) serves as the primary administrative recipient managing the grant contract and enforcing statewide service metrics.

Contracted Provider: AHF Columbia administers the physical primary outpatient medical care, medical case management, and initial dental referral generation.

Regulatory Body
Federal Level: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

State Level: The SC DPH HIV/STD/Viral Hepatitis Division, which sets statewide service standards, quality management guidelines, and allocation priorities.

Referral Loop
Intake: A patient undergoes eligibility verification via an approved regional provider or case management portal to confirm low-to-moderate income, identity, HIV-positive diagnosis, and Richland County residency.

Clinical Order: An AHF primary medical provider identifies an oral health need during routine clinical tracking and submits a formal dental referral voucher request.

Authorization: The regional Ryan White Part B case management team reviews the clinical request against active eligibility status and checks for existing procedure or spending caps to ensure compliance with state guidelines.

Closing the Loop: The authorized outside dental specialist (such as partner clinics or safety-net centers) performs the dental treatment and returns clinical treatment notes to the originating AHF medical case manager/provider to ensure coordinated care continuity.

Scope of Coverage
Inclusions: Diagnostic exams, routine cleanings, X-rays, and therapeutic oral treatments provided by licensed dental professionals. Specialized procedures and dental surgeries deemed medically necessary by the provider network.

Exclusions: Cosmetic dental procedures with no clinical or therapeutic benefit. Any emergency department visits or inpatient hospitalizations for oral issues that fall outside outpatient clinical care. Procedures covered under standard primary care or separate managed health plans.

Mandate (Payer of Last Resort): Under federal legislation, the program is statutorily mandated to serve as the payer of last resort. Part B dental funds can only be utilized for visits if the client is uninsured, underinsured, or has completely exhausted all other public/private dental insurance options (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, commercial plans).

Core Service Allocation: At least 75% of the total regional Ryan White grant funding must be dedicated to core medical services, which directly encompasses outpatient dental and oral health specialty care.

Proof of HIV Status: Lab report showing a positive HIV viral load, Western Blot, or a signed medical diagnosis form from a licensed Physician.

Proof of Residency: Utility bill, lease agreement, or official mail showing you live within the state or county service area (unhoused individuals can submit a letter from a shelter or caseworker.

Proof of Income: Recent Pay stubs, W-2 forms, tax returns, or a notarized letter of support showing your household income falls below the local limit.

Income limits in South Carolina: Your income cannot exceed the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Percentage of 400% $63,840.

If you already use the AHF Healthcare Center - Columbia as your designated primary "medical home," getting connected to the dental program follows an in-house pathway:

Initiate Referral with Your AHF Primary Care Provider (PCP): You must request a dental referral during your routine medical check-up at AHF. Your PCP will assess your overall health, document the necessity of the oral care, and officially trigger the electronic referral.

Coordinate with the Case Management Team: The AHF Part B Medical Case Management team in Columbia handles the administrative logistics. They will review your current Ryan White eligibility files to authorize the covered dental services before you go to an outside specialist.

Transition to an Approved Oral Health Provider: Once authorized, you are matched with an allied local network provider. This network includes community partners like Cooperative Health (Eau Claire) or specific county safety-net centers like Well Partners Dental, which specialize in handling comprehensive, uncompensated Ryan White dental procedures.

Keep Your 6-Month Recertification Active: Your dental coverage is directly tied to your medical coverage. If your mandatory 6-month Ryan White recertification with your AHF case manager expires, external provider authorizations for dental work will be automatically paused.

For People Who Are NOT Patients of AHF Columbia: If you are not currently a primary care patient at the AHF Columbia site but need to access the regional Ryan White dental provider program, you must complete these baseline steps:

Establish Centralized SC Part B Eligibility: You must formally register with a recognized South Carolina Ryan White provider to clear regional intake. You can enroll directly through the AHF Columbia site or other Richland County regional intake entities.

Submit the Core Verification Packet: You must provide physical or digital documentation to clear the following four regulatory benchmarks:

Diagnosis: An official clinical lab report or medical document confirming an HIV-positive status. Identity:
A valid government-issued photo ID.

Residency: A utility bill, lease agreement, or official state document verifying your physical residency within Richland County (or neighboring coverage areas like Lexington, Fairfield, or Sumter).

Income: Pay stubs, tax documents, or public assistance records verifying low-to-moderate household income levels aligned with state program thresholds.

Complete the Primary Clinic Intake: Once your eligibility packet is approved, you will establish your care through AHF Columbia or other area clinics. Your newly assigned PCP will complete a comprehensive baseline health evaluation and order standard lab draws.

Secure Your Dental Network Voucher: After completing your baseline clinic evaluation, your care team or medical case manager will officially process an authorized referral to send you to the designated regional dental provider network.