La Clínica delivers dental services to more than 29,000 patients annually across three Bay Area counties at our dental clinics, school-based health centers, and several community locations through our Oral Health Initiative (OHI).
As part of the Initiative, La Clínica dentists set up shop at schools and daycare centers and provide preventive dental treatment for students. Patients receive a variety of preventative dental services such as full dental exams with X-rays and dental cleaning with fluoride application, as well as referral services for additional treatment. In addition, there is no out-of-pocket cost for the family for services accessed.
These “pop-up clinics” are integral to La Clínica’s mission of providing high quality healthcare services for all because they greatly increase our ability to meet patients where they are and decrease barriers to care.
The initiative started in 2007 and offered limited oral health education in Contra Costa County; it has since grown to serve more than 26 sites in both Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
La Clínica created the OHI to reduce patients’ missed class time due to dental treatment, increase student participation in the program, educate parents and patients on the importance of oral health, help patients and parents qualify and access dental health benefits, and use preventive services and education to reduce caries risk.
These OHI dentists are the only dental providers many students see; as such, La Clínica is currently focused on expanding this program to additional schools to serve even more students who currently lack care.
