L.A. Care Offers Free Dental Services for Kids

Los Angeles, CA - L.A. Care Health Plan has joined forces with the Children’s Dental Health Clinic, Crest, and Telemundo to provide free health screenings, oral hygiene education and fluoride varnishes for children on February 18, 2009.  The event will take place at L.A. Care’s Family Resource Center from 10:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Plaza Mexico located at 3180 E. Imperial Highway in Lynwood.   

 
L.A. Care’s Dental Health Day is intended to raise public awareness about the importance of good oral health among children in Los Angeles County.   The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services reports that the prevalence of oral diseases among children in the County is twice the national average. According to the Surgeon General, oral health diseases are a silence epidemic affecting primarily low-income Americans, especially children and the elderly. Uninsured children are hit the hardest; they are 3 times more likely than insured children to have unmet dental needs. 
 
“L.A. Care has a strong commitment to ensuring good oral health in school-age children. Many people are not aware of the complications of untreated oral diseases, which include tooth decay, gum disease, mouth and throat diseases including cancer, stroke, lung disease, diabetes and premature births,” says Dr. Elaine Batchlor, Chief Medical Officer at L.A. Care.  “Together we can affect change to maintain and improve oral health of our children.”
 
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, untreated oral disease is the largest unmet health care need in the County. A recent study reported that approximately 1.44 million (nearly one-fourth) of California children 11 years of age or younger have never visited a dentist.  The Los Angeles Unified School District reported that about 50,000 children a year indicate tooth pain, which is one of the most common reasons for absenteeism in schools.
 
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), tooth decay among children in the U.S. is a common problem that begins at early age and affects them more than any other chronic infectious disease. 
 
L.A. Care has invested approximately $6 million through grants to community clinics and other providers to improve oral health in L.A. County. For more information, please visit www.lacare.org.
 
Community Clinics that Offer Low or No-Cost Dental Services
 
FOR CHILDREN
FOR FAMILIES/ADULTS
Antelope Valley Partners for Health
The Los Angeles Free Clinic
1122 W. Avenue L-12 #103
8405 Beverly Blvd.
Lancaster, CA 93551
Los Angeles, CA 90048
661.942.4719
323.330.1656
Children’s Dental Health Clinic-Long Beach
Los Angeles Mission Community Clinic
455 E. Columbia St.
311 East Winston St.
Long Beach, CA 90806
Los Angeles, CA 90013
562.933.0549
213.893.1960, ext. 110
South Bay Family Healthcare Center
Mission City Community Network
23430 Hawthorne Blvd., Bldg 3, Suite 210
15206 Parthenia St.
Torrance, CA 90505
North Hills, CA 91343
310.802.6177
818.895.3100
FOR FAMILIES/ADULTS
Mission Community Hospital
AltaMed
14850 Roscoe Blvd.
500 Citadel Drive, Suite 490
Panorama City, CA 90037
Los Angeles, CA 90040
323.541.1660
323.725.8751
Northeast Valley Health Corporation
Clinica Msr. Oscar A. Romero
1172 North Maclay Avenue
2032 Marengo St.
San Fernando, CA 91340
Los Angeles, CA 90033
818.898.1388, ext. 950231
323.987.1030
QueensCare Family Clinics
Community Health Alliance of Pasadena
1300 N. Vermont St., Suite 1002
1855 N. Fair Oaks Ave., # 200
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Pasadena, CA 91103
323.953.7341
626.398.6300
St. John’s Well Child & Family Center
Eisner Pediatric & Family Medical Center
3800 S. Figueroa St.
1530 Olive St.
Los Angeles, CA 90037
Los Angeles, CA 90015
323.541.1660
213.746.1037
USC School of Dentistry
Faison & Faison
925 West 34th Street, DEN 4202
411 S. Long Beach Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0641
Compton, CA 90221
213.740.1098
310.537.2217
 
 
 

About L.A. Care Health Plan

L.A. Care Health Plan (Local Initiative Health Authority of Los Angeles County) is a public entity and community-accountable health plan serving residents of Los Angeles County through a variety of programs including L.A. Care Covered™, Medi-Cal, L.A. Care’s Healthy Kids, L.A. Care Health Plan Medicare Advantage HMO SNP, and PASC-SEIU Homecare Workers Health Care Plan. L.A. Care is a leader in developing new programs through innovative partnerships designed to provide health coverage to vulnerable populations and to support the safety net. With more than one million members, L.A. Care is the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan.

 
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About L.A. Care Health Plan

L.A. Care Health Plan is the largest health plan in Los Angeles County serving more than one of every four Angelenos. It is also the largest publicly operated plan in the country. L.A. Care offers four health coverage plans including Medi-Cal, L.A. Care Covered™, L.A. Care Medicare Plus and the PASC-SEIU Homecare Workers Health Care Plan, all dedicated to being accountable and responsive to members. As a public entity, L.A. Care’s mission is to provide access to quality health care for L.A. County's low-income communities, and to support the safety net required to achieve that purpose. L.A. Care prioritizes quality, access and inclusion, elevating health care for all of L.A. County. For more information, follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Media Contact
Penny Griego | Media Relations Specialist
213.694.1250 x 4560
310.613.8309 | Mobile
pgriego@lacare.org
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