Children’s Dental Health
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Key Findings

• Dental disease is rampant among California children
• Many children in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties have cavities
• Many -- but not all -- local low-income children have dental insurance
• Dental insurance is not enough. Prevention and access matter, too
• Populations who need quality dental care have seen little progress
• State legislators are increasingly placing dental health on their agenda
• Mandating dental assessments is a starting point, not an ending point

Mandating Dental Assessments Is a Starting Point, Not an Ending Point

It's not enough to find a problem; children need access to treatment and regular dental care going forward.

Children's dental health advocates in both counties point to transportation problems, long waits for appointments at clinics, few private providers serving low-income children, limited dental van capacity, few Spanish- or Vietnamese-speaking providers, and large geographic areas without providers nearby. However, some disagreement exists as to the nature of the supply problem, particularly in Santa Clara County. The county says that county clinics have the capacity to see large numbers of children in need. The problem, according to the county, is reaching parents and solving transportation problems.

In northern Santa Clara County, the North County Children's Health Initiative Collaborative is working to address access issues for dental and other medical care.