Last week, approximately 33 students at Boulder Creek Elementary School were able to have access to dental care, as Dientes Community Dental Care’s Outreach Program began its tour through four San Lorenzo Valley schools.
As part of the program, which is funded through grants and MediCal, qualifying students who sign up can receive basic dental care services — including exams, x-rays, cleanings, and fluoride treatments — that they might not have otherwise had access to.
“We’re super excited about being able to provide dental care for underserved kids,” said Dientes’ Development Director Sheree Storm. “It’s hard for them to get to the dentist sometimes.”
In addition to providing dental services, Dientes staff conducts a series of classroom presentations that focus on the importance of oral health with the goal of helping to promote proper dental hygiene and prevent cavities.
According to Dientes Development and Communications Coordinator Kristyn Glenn, although the organization provides these services annually, this year marks the first time that it had been able to service the schools of the San Lorenzo Valley.
Last year, she said, Dientes was able to provide services to 10 schools in Santa Cruz County. This year, 20 schools are on the schedule.
“We’ve doubled that number since last year,” Glenn said, adding that much of the credit is due to Dientes’ new outreach manager, Tana Stragalinos. “It’s been a lot of her hard work to double that number.”
According to Glenn, prior to Dientes’ arrival on campus, information packets are sent home with each child, outlining the criteria for children to qualify for the free dental work.
Students whose families don’t have insurance, or are covered by MediCal or Healthy Kids, qualify, she said.
The goal, Storm said, is to prevent major dental issues before they get bad — often due to lack of insurance or means of transportation.
“Transportation is a barrier to care,” she said. “Providing services at schools is a great way to prevent problems before they get bigger.”
Boulder Creek Elementary was the first of the four schools in the San Lorenzo Valley that Dientes is planning to visit. San Lorenzo Valley Elementary, Middle, and High schools will each be visited in January, Glenn said.
For more information about Dientes Community Dental Care’s Outreach Program, visit www.dientes.org
