Hundreds of thousands of Arizona children under 18 years old are uninsured. Families in need have a difficult time finding proper dental care for themselves and their kids. Delta Dental of Arizona and St. Vincent de Paul have partnered together to help fulfill this need.
The Delta Dental of Arizona Oral Health Center at St. Vincent de Paul provides free comprehensive dental care for more than 10,000 uninsured families each year. Here is one story of a family that visited the clinic, met with executive dental director, Dr. Ken Snyder and received much-needed oral health care.
Maria’s Story
Maria is a single mother with two young daughters: Rosa, 8, and Alicia, 3. Rosa woke up one morning with a sore tooth. For weeks, Maria gave Rosa an aspirin each morning and sent her to school. After a month, Maria’s friend suggested she take Rosa to St. Vincent de Paul to look at her teeth.
Maria told Rosa they were going to the dentist and Rosa was afraid. She had never been to a dentist and didn’t know what to expect. Betty, a dental assistant, greeted them when they arrived and held Rosa’s hand as they entered the Delta Dental of Arizona Oral Health Center.
Once in the dental chair, Dr. Snyder said they would find out what was wrong. He told her a silly story that made her smile as he looked at her teeth. Betty kept holding her hand. Dr. Snyder told Maria the pain was from two cavities. Instead of using a drill and filling them, the cavities could be fixed with silver diamine fluoride. After the painless treatment, Rosa smiled and let go of Betty’s hand.
Betty then explained how important it was to brush and floss her teeth twice a day. She also told Maria to help her children brush their teeth until they were about 8 years old and to visit the dentist twice a year. Rosa received a new toothbrush, toothpaste and floss. On the way out, Maria made sister Alicia an appointment for a checkup.
Delta Dental of Arizona is proud to partner with St. Vincent de Paul to create healthy smiles.
