Tooth About Dental Care
Smiles are an important indicator of confidence, mental and general health. Regular dental hygiene is a critical component of preventative care and general well-being.
Oral health serves as a window to overall health,; however, for many members of our community, seeing a dentist is a luxury. Over 60% of Californians are behind on preventive dental care because they simply cannot afford it – even though 96% believe that regular dental visits keep them healthy.
Already, we have seen a rise in cases of diabetes and untreated hypertension due to COVID-19. We expect another wave of spikes in these diseases over the next 2 years as unmanaged oral care translates into more cavities and root canals in the short-term and soon enough diabetes and other chronic diseases. And, because our dental visits fill up within a couple of hours of being opened up, AltaMed has extended our hours at all 10 of our dental clinics throughout Orange and Los Angeles counties.
Last fall, one donor contributed funds so we could purchase intra-oral cameras, which show patients the difficult-to-reach areas of their mouths. One patient, Alma Cruz, recently had three cavities treated during her cleaning. Alma was sheltering at home because she is a caregiver to her elderly parents. She wasn’t in any pain, but she hadn’t seen a dentist since 2019.
Because our dentist could immediately show her the damage in between her teeth, without having to wait for additional screenings, Alma had these cavities filled during the same visit.
Today, there are thousands of patients like Alma whose teeth are actually in worse shape than they may be aware. AltaMed is eliminating health care barriers with our extended dental clinic hours and offering our Mobile Oral Health Unit.
When it comes to our well-being, no one should have to compromise. Your support expands our reach to patients like Alma, who have sacrificed dental screenings – and treatment – over the last 18 months. You can keep our patients and communities growing healthy with brighter smiles.
To learn more about the oral treatments we offer, visit https://www.altamed.org/dental-services
Help us deliver a better tomorrow for our communities
All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Our Tax ID number is: 95-2810095.
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