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Fresno County
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Overview of Findings
Fresno County is located in the heart of the Central Valley with numerous California highways crossing through it and is bordered by mountains to the east and valley flatland to the south and west. The county is a mix of very rural outlying areas and very populated centrally located cities covering almost 6000 square miles with a total population of slightly less than 900,000 people and a fairly high Hispanic percentage of population.
Early childhood caries was described as a dental health issue among children in Fresno County. According to a key informant who has been involved in children’s oral health programs for over a decade, an increasing prevalence of caries is occurring among young children. Despite the emerging concern, families experience difficulty in finding pediatric dentists especially those who accept publicly-insured patients.
The new Dental Surgery Center in Fresno may help fill the need of pediatric dentists. Children receive dental treatment under general aesthesia at the Dental Surgery Center. The Center accepts public and private-insured patients on a referral basis, and has a goal to find dental homes for all children.
Healthy Smiles is also one of the few programs in Fresno County that offers services to children who are publicly-insured or uninsured. The mobile dental program is school-based and travels to schools throughout the Central Valley. The program has a three-pronged approach to providing oral health care and education: prevention, restorative treatment, and education. The prevention treatments offered by Healthy Smiles includes sealants, oral hygiene education for children, and six month follow-up appointments. Restorative treatments include full oral exams, x-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments, fillings, extractions, root canals, crowns, and space maintainers. The last approach is prevention education geared toward parents.
These dental programs are facing financial challenges amidst California’s current economic crisis. Drastic budget cuts to public health programs and reduced Medi-Cal reimbursements will negatively affect the Dental Surgery Center and Healthy Smiles program.