Learning+Group+4

The oral health status of Riverside County. =Presented by: Learning Group #4 - Sergio, Melissa, and Megan = __Statistics:__
 * According to the County of Riverside Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health report 2010: **

In 2007, most (61.9%) children and adolescents saw a dentist between one and six months prior to being surveyed. Blacks reported the highest rate (85.1%) of dental visits as recent as six months before being surveyed.  Thirteen percent of children and adolescents in Riverside County have never been to a dentist with the highest rate among Hispanics (15.5%). Of those youths who had seen a dentist in the past, nearly 8% reported that it had been more than a year. Additionally, 7.7% of children and adolescents in Riverside County could not afford needed dental care compared to 6.3% of California youth.
 * According to the California Health Interview Survey: **

*Full Report Link: []


 * According to an article published in the Press Enterprise in August 2010: **

 Office visits have dropped nearly 30% from 2008, and are expected to drop another 25% by the end of 2010, due to the cancellation of Denti-Cal (Medi-Cal's dental coverage) for adults and the elderly. According to the article, nearly 310,000 residents of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties lost their dental coverage. Children remain covered under Denti-Cal. *Article Link: []uth.

National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2008 With Special Feature on the Health of Young Adults. Hyattsville, Maryland: 2009
 * Table from:

__Community Dental Health Programs in Riverside County:__
 * California Children’s Dental Disease Prevention Program (CCDDPP)**

The California Children’s Dental Disease Prevention Program (CCDDPP) offers children in school a through local teachers and health educators the importance of dental care. They are taught the importance of dental health and see that brushing and flossing is done correctly in the classroom.


 * Riverside County CCDDPP Coordinator Link: **

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/Pages/CCDDPPRiversideCounty.asp

Unfortunately the program has been suspended due to the severe budget crisis that California is currently in,

Give Kids a Smile:
This program is sponsored by the Tri-County Dental Society. Many dental care workers volunteer in order to provide free dental care and education for under-served children in Riverside, San Bernardino, and East Los Angeles Counties.



This is a statewide program that provides no-cost dental care for children under 5 years old. Funding is provided by the added 50 cent tobacco tax that was approved by Proposition 10 in November of 1998
 * First Five Riverside**:

Summary of Oral Health in Riverside County:

Riverside County seems to be on a decline in dental health care. As mentioned in the Press Enterprise article in August of 2010, dental visits have dropped by nearly 30%, and many patients now wait until they are in severe pain to address their dental needs due to the cost of dental care.

In addition, many adult and elderly patients throughout Riverside county who depended on Denti-Cal through their Medi-Cal insurance to cover their dental work have lost their coverage as a result of state-wide budget cuts.

At this time there do not appear to be many programs in Riverside that offer free dental care to adults, although there are many sliding-scale clinics throughout the county where patients can get work done at a reduced price based on their incomes. In addition, Loma Linda's Dental School has one day a year where the first 200 patients through the doors receive free dental care. According to their website, the event is always busy and many people arrive very early in order to ensure their spot. This indicates the need for dental care among Riverside County residents, as well as the interest, but also indicates that many simply cannot afford to get regular dental care.

Fortunately, there seem to be many opportunities for children to receive free dental care throughout Riverside County, as noted in the local programs available. Programs such as Give Kids a Smile and First Five place an emphasis on educating patients early on in order to help children to develop good oral hygiene habits, and maintain those habits throughout life, ultimately increasing the overall dental health of the county with the new generation.