Exciting New Programs at the Oral Health Education Center

The education center is now truly staffed to provide education to all of our patients and families, especially those 0-5, through a three-year program of early intervention with a First 5 LA grant. We begin this exciting program this month with the addition of dedicated Patient Care Coordinator Julia Maleno-Pascual and Hygienist Rosa Burns. Our area for the preventive and educational visits is in the Oral Health Education Center.

Also, we look forward to completing school based education and screening grants from Catholic Healthcare West and Eisner Foundation to schools in Long Beach in the coming months. What's more is an exciting new collaboration with Molina Healthcare where our Mobile Dental Clinic is visiting various Molina sites to provide dental screenings, education and fluoride. Dr. Cleo, Molina's Mascot pictured, helps teach the children about brushing and National Charity League, Manhattan Beach volunteers assisted in  educating children and families about oral health. We are scheduled for four trips this year and look forward to more activities in the future!

Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center provided funding to educate and screen over 1200 kinder, first and second graders in the Paramount Unified School District this spring. The children were very excited to receive their oral health kits, especially the timers. Many children were referred to our Bellflower clinic for treatment.

We continue our professional training with Cerritos College Dental Hygiene students. These students are gaining valuable clinical experience and are supporting clinic operations through their work at the clinic and in the community.

The Long Beach Oral Health Task Force Pilot Project saw  Dr. Santos Cortez and Dr. William Worden volunteer a morning of dentistry for children from Barton Elementary School, who arrived with their parents by bus. These children were previously identified in need of urgent care by a screening at the school. It was a great success which we hope to provide again.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide oral health education to our patients and the community!

Jean Petrillo, RDH
Oral Health Education Coordinator

 

Norwalk Dental Program

We would like to highlight a wonderful service that the City of Norwalk provides our patients.

Gloria Mendoza, pictured on right with a patient, is the city liaison and patient care coordinator that provides patient care management as well as transportation for children to and from our Bellflower and Main Clinic offices. Because of her, parents no longer need to miss work so that their children receive care.

Gloria truly is an integral force in promoting good general and oral health for the students in Norwalk.

Thank you Gloria and Thank You City of Norwalk for your continued support!

Above, as always, in one of her many visits to the CDHC,
Gloria Mendoza of the City of Norwalk, shares a smile
with a patient.