WHAT'S NEW...IN HEALTHCARE ACCESS
ABCD Program Brings Dental Care to Pierce County Children in Need
TACOMA, Wash. – In our communities, there is a chronic childhood illness that is not only affecting our children’s health but it is also keeping them out of school. The culprit is tooth decay. The solution is as easy as ABCD.
A unique collaboration of dentists, human service organizations, local government and corporate partners has come together to bring the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program to local families.
ABCD focuses on preventive and restorative dental care for Medicaid-eligible children from birth to age 6. A lack of dental access by low-income, high-risk preschool children led to the development of the program. Since its inception 10 years ago, the program has thrived in many counties in eastern Washington but has had trouble getting off the ground in Pierce County.
Organizations like Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, the Pierce County Oral Health Coalition, Northwest Physicians Network, United Way of Pierce County, Merrill Lynch and Pairings formed an exclusive partnership to bring the program to life. Through their combined efforts, they have developed funding for the program, educated several local dentists on the cause and secured a number of dentists for training.
Earlier this year, the collaborative secured $278,000 in grants from Washington Dental Service Foundation and the Department of Social and Health Services to fund the program.
On August 23rd, the collaborative held their first training session, teaching dentists to work on these small patients. The training, held at First Place for Children in Parkland, brought the number trained to 19 private dentists and 2 clinics.
The next training session will be held November 4th at the Annual Oral Health Summit.
In addition to providing oral healthcare through trained dentists, the program emphasizes educating families on how to care for their teeth as well. Parent education is a vital component of the program and they are also taught proper brushing techniques.
Operating as part of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department’s Comprehensive Oral Health Center, the ABCD program is expected to serve 6,000 children during the first year. ABCD will begin serving eligible children September 1.
For more information, contact United Way of Pierce County at 253-272-4263.
VISIT THE ABCD web site - www.abcd-dental.org
