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HOME > ABOUT > PRESS > IMPROVING CHILDREN'S ORAL HEALTH
Article published - October 2, 2007
Credit: SONOMA WEST TIMES
COMMENTARY: Improving children's oral health
by Pedro Toledo
Growing up, I proudly looked up to my older sister, who worked as the dental clinic manager at the largest community clinic in Northern California, La Clinica De La Raza. In those days, much as they do today, La Clinica De La Raza ensured that children received quality preventative care as well as training on everyday oral health. I remember watching Spanish-language videos on how to brush, how to floss, and how to use red chewing plaque tablets. I sat quietly every six months as the dental assistant patiently and methodically taught me how to properly floss. I stood in front of the mirror as she showed me how to angle my toothbrush and reach every tooth three times a day. I received fluoride treatments every year and the clinic ensured that I received a dental screening regularly. In fact, preventative dental care was a standard for every clinic pediatric patient. High quality dental care was always available to me.
In Sonoma County, community clinics have enrolled tens of thousands of low-income children into public health insurance products, and have worked tirelessly to ensure that every child in our community is eligible for medical and dental insurance. Although most low-income Sonoma County children are now enrolled in medical and dental insurance, only a fraction of these children are able to find a dentist willing to accept their insurance. Low reimbursement rates from public insurance preclude many children from ever seeing a dentist to prevent the escalation of dental problems.
In fact, the lack of preventative dentistry negatively impacts the oral health of our children in unprecedented ways. At school, children learn in pain, suffering needlessly from serious dental problems that could have easily been avoided. An estimated 3,000 children in our community suffer from tooth decay so severe that they require anesthesia to receive dental treatment. These children must now undergo traumatic surgical procedures for oral health disease that could have been easily avoided through preventative dentistry.
I find it shameful that the situation has deteriorated to this point. Medi-Cal covers hundreds, even thousands of dollars for children to receive oral surgical care, but only pays private practice dentists a few dollars to clean a child's teeth once a year. Many low-income families have no choice but to wait until simple dental problems escalate before finding relief for their children.
I received comprehensive dental care as a child and I believe that Sonoma County can provide the same level of care to all our children. Every child in Sonoma County should have access to regular dental screenings, fluoride treatments, oral health education, and low-cost dental care. Preventative dentistry is not a new concept and our children should not be suffering needlessly with dental pain.
Recently, a pediatric oral surgery center opened its doors in Sonoma County. The surgery center will greatly improve the quality of life for thousands of children in our community who are in pain and require surgical procedures. However, pediatric surgery centers are only one piece of the solution to the oral health problem. We need to work collaboratively towards a comprehensive community solution that guarantees that all our children have access to preventative dentistry. I welcome all concerned community members to work with Redwood Community Health Coalition clinics and our collaborative partners to develop a comprehensive community plan for increasing access to preventative dentistry for low-income children.
- Pedro Toledo, JD, MA is Director of Community and Government Relations for Redwood Community Health Coalition -- the network of community clinics in Sonoma, Marin, Napa, and Yolo counties.
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