Seeing the dentist at the Community Health Center of Fort Dodge may soon be a bit more comfortable thanks to a newly awarded federal grant.

The center has received a $212,868 grant that will help pay for updating the dental chairs and buying some equipment.

The Community Health Center in Mason City is considered to be part of the Fort Dodge center, and some of the money will also be spent there on dental equipment.

“We are excited as there was a record number of applicants for these funds,” said Renae Kruckenberg, the chief executive officer of the community health centers in Fort Dodge, Mason City and Dayton.

“The demand for dental services in our area is high, and we are looking forward to better serving our patients and future patients with these improvements,” she added.

The money came from the Health Resources and Services Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“These awards, which are the first of their kind, will help health centers tackle limitations in infrastructure, such as outdated equipment and insufficient space, and improve access to integrated oral health services in primary care settings in communities across the country,” Tom Engels, the acting administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, said in a written statement.

The Community Health Center of Fort Dodge, 126 N. 10th St., offers medical, dental and behavioral health care. Insurance is accepted and patients who qualify financially can make payments on a sliding scale based on their income.

A federal grant enabled the center to open in 2006.