L.A. Care Awards $635,000 to Increase Free and Affordable Dental Services for the Underserved Residents of Los Angeles County

Funding Will Support Upwards of 10,000 Additional Dental Procedures to Meet Unmet Dental Needs & Improve Overall Health

LOS ANGELES - L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest public health plan, announced today that it is awarding $635,000 to provide diagnostic, preventive and treatment services, state-of-the-art dental equipment, a mobile dental clinic and software systems to 16 L.A. County safety net clinics. L.A. Care’s Oral Health Initiative is designed to increase access to oral care, which is one of the largest unmet health needs for many L.A. County residents, including seniors and people with disabilities.  More than 10,000 dental procedures are expected to be performed for free or at affordable prices over 18 months due to this round of grant funding.

Research confirms that oral health diseases are a silent epidemic affecting primarily low-income Americans, especially children and the elderly.  A recent Institute of Medicine study found that one in three people nationwide report some difficulty accessing dental care, regardless of insurance status. Locally, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services recently reported that in underserved areas such as South Los Angeles, up to 33 percent of adults do not receive dental services due to the high costs of dental services. And the Los Angeles Unified School District notes that oral diseases are one of the leading causes of classroom absenteeism. 

“L.A. Care is committed to improving access to dental health services because oral health is a significant contributor to good overall health,” says Dr. Elaine Batchlor, Chief Medical Officer at L.A. Care Health Plan.  “Providing access to free or affordable dental care may decrease emergency hospital visits and save lives by preventing serious health diseases and conditions that stem from poor oral health, including respiratory disease, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, bacterial pneumonia and preterm and low birth weight deliveries.”

The following safety net clinics were selected through a competitive process and will receive a maximum of $40,000 each. These grantees include:

1. AltaMed Health Services Corporation (East Los Angeles)
2. Antelope Valley Community Clinic (Lancaster)
3. Children’s Dental Health Center of Greater Los Angeles (Inglewood)
4. Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (Pasadena)
5. East Valley Community Health Center (West Covina)
6. JWCH Institute (Downtown Los Angeles)
7. Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center (Downtown Los Angeles)
8. Los Angeles Christian Health Centers (Downtown Los Angeles)
9. Northeast Valley Health Corporation (San Fernando Valley)
10. QueensCare Family Clinics (Los Angeles)
11. South Bay Children’s Health Center (Lawndale)
12. South Bay Family Health Care (South Bay)
13. St. John’s Well Child and Family Center (Los Angeles)
14. University of Southern California-School of Dentistry (Downtown Los Angeles)
15. Venice Family Clinic (Santa Monica)
16. Watts Healthcare Corporation (South Los Angeles)

L.A. Care is one of the largest funders of oral health services in Los Angeles County.  Since 2003, L.A. Care has provided more than $8 million to 71 organizations and clinics to provide oral health education, prevention and treatment services in low-income communities.  This funding has helped safety net providers start, expand and maintain dental services programs and develop a network of safety net oral health providers in L.A. County.

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