SOURCE:UnitedHealth Group
DESCRIPTION:
The smiles were brighter than the Florida sunshine at our February 25th event celebrating the six-month anniversary of the opening of the Southwest Dental Clinic of Alachua County! As part of the festivities, United Health Foundation partnered with the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County, the Southwest Advocacy Group Family Resource Center (SWAG) and the Partnership for Strong Families to offer free children’s dental screenings in honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month.
The need for the clinic was reinforced by findings from a study released in Health Affairs stating that as of January 2013, about 45 million Americans lived in urban and rural regions with a shortage of dental providers. In particular, it’s important for children to have access to dental care starting as early as age one. And, according to the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, childhood tooth decay is the number one chronic childhood illness. Left untreated, tooth decay can inhibit children’s cognitive and social development, compromising their growth, self-esteem and, ultimately, their quality of life.
For many children, it was their first trip to the dentist and it was fun to see how excited they were about this brand new experience! For those who were a little worried about it, UnitedHealthcare’s mascot Dr. Health E. Hound was on hand to help show them the ropes and calm their fears so they were ready to show off those pearly whites.
The day wrapped up with a community dinner at SWAG and included thoughtful discussions around the importance of good oral health for both children and adults alike.
This event marked a big milestone for United Health Foundation, which provided a $1.85 million grant to open the doors to the Southwest Dental Clinic in July of 2015. Since the opening six months ago, more than 1,500 patients—including more than 175 children--have received dental treatment at the clinic. The clinic provides examinations, X-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments, fillings and tooth extractions, thus serving as an alternative to an emergency room trip for unmet dental needs.
It was a great day in Alachua County and we’re proud to report that 30 children participated in the free screenings! We are excited to see what the next six months will bring as Southwest Dental Clinic continues to lay the foundation for long-term dental health for hundreds of children and adults in Alachua County.
KEYWORDS: Health, Event, Alachua County, National Children's Dental Health Month, United Health Foundation, Florida Department of Health, Partnership for Strong Families, dental health
