dqf2019029

This investment supports The Tides Center/The Children’s Partnership (TCP) to develop a statewide advocacy strategy that raises awareness around the access needs of young children and solutions that can be implemented to address these gaps. Leveraging state and national partners, TCP will promote the use of alternative care delivery options, including the Virtual Dental Home and telehealth, support new financing models that align payment with optimal health outcomes, and develop resources that raise awareness about the gap in oral health access experienced by very young children. A significant portion of California’s children do not have access to regular, preventive dental care, resulting in statistics that 71% of children experience tooth decay by the time they enter the third grade. $219,870 will be used to support personnel time and expenses related to the project’s implementation. The proposal aligns with the Oral Health 2020 Goal 4 of eradicating dental disease in children and the target of having 75% of children reach age 5 without a cavity.