San Luis Obispo, CA (PRWEB) August 28, 2014
Delta Dental of California’s philanthropic foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to Tolosa Children’s Dental Center, a nonprofit clinic that provides pediatric dental services for thousands of underserved children in San Luis Obispo County.
This is the third consecutive year the clinic has been awarded a grant from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation. To date, the 11-year-old dental clinic has served more than 12,414 unduplicated children and adolescents in the county.
“Tolosa Children’s Dental Center’s mission aligns with Delta Dental’s own corporate mission to increase access to dental care for the underserved,” said John Yamamoto, DDS, Delta Dental’s vice president of Professional Services. “We’re very pleased that we can help support this important effort in San Luis Obispo County to improve children’s oral health.”
Serving an estimated 4,600 individual children per year, the Tolosa Children’s Dental Center provides a full range of pediatric dental services including oral health screenings, assessments and exams, fluoride varnish/dental sealants, cleanings and restorative services. In addition, the clinic offers oral health education to parents/caregivers on topics such as good oral hygiene habits, healthy eating habits, the causes of dental disease and the importance of first dental visits by age one, giving families the tools needed to establish good oral hygiene and prevent future dental disease.
"Even with all of our effort, every day we see far too much decay, infection, pain and ultimately the extraction of teeth," said Suzanne Russell, clinic director for Tolosa Children's Dental Center. "No child should have one tooth extracted due to decay, much less ten or sixteen. With proper education and care, children can have healthy mouths. It is our goal to provide children the opportunity for quality care in a comfortable, fun setting."
About Delta Dental Community Care Foundation and Delta Dental of California
The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation (ddccf.com) provides grants to nonprofit community clinics and health care programs, striving to improve oral health for underserved children and adults through treatment and education. It is the philanthropic branch of Delta Dental of California, the state’s largest dental plan, which is headquartered in San Francisco. Delta Dental of California and its affiliated companies provide dental benefits to 27 million people in 15 states plus the District of Columbia and are part of the Delta Dental Plans Association, the nation’s largest dental benefits system.
About Tolosa Children’s Dental Center
Tolosa Children’s Dental Center (TCDC), formerly known as La Clinica de Tolosa, opened its first location in Paso Robles in July 2003 to address the need for access to affordable children’s dentistry for low income families in SLO County.
Since its opening, TCDC-Paso Robles has expanded upon its original vision by not only increasing access to care, but also providing a "dental home" for uninsured and Medi-Cal insured children focused on comprehensive dental care and prevention of dental disease.
This past July, TCDC began providing pediatric dental services from its second location in the City of San Luis Obispo. Leasing the SLO Noor (adult) Dental Clinic one day a week, TCDC-San Luis Obispo establishes the first "neighborhood" dental home for low-income children living in the city and adjoining areas.
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