Started in 2006 as a partnership with other area providers, PICOH is an in-clinic oral health preventive education program that provides oral hygiene education including nutritional instruction, follow-up contacts and dental care kits for low-income and minority children and pregnant mothers. The program also offers outreach presentations and free dental supplies at WIC clinics, ECFE centers, local community health providers, health fairs, schools and community organizations. The goal of our program is to reduce early childhood caries in children and improve the knowledge of pregnant mothers regarding good oral health and nutritional practices.

The program provides preventive and restorative care, risk assessment and education in the clinic for approximately 1,500 children and 150 pregnant mothers each year. Through the outreach component of this program, we provide presentations or informational booths and distribute oral health care kits (including toothbrushes, toothpaste and educational materials) in the community to over 2,000 parents, pregnant women and children annually.
 

Pregnant Mother's Program

It is very important to keep your teeth and gums healthy during your pregnancy. Infected teeth and gums can affect your unborn or newborn baby. Make an appointment with your dentist today for an oral exam, cleaning and instruction on oral health care and nutrition during your pregnancy. You’ll receive a dental care kit with each visit.

For Health Care Providers

Community Dental Care invites you to refer your patients to our outreach program for pregnant mothers. We welcome medical assistance patients and minorities. Our program provides education and preventive treatment for mothers with poor oral health and at high-risk of periodontal disease.

New this year, Community Dental Care is participating as a clinical training site for first and second year advanced dental therapy (ADT) students from the Normandale-Metropolitan State University training partnership. The experiences that ADT students gain at our clinic, working with economically and culturally diverse populations, will prepare them to work in areas where there are underserved populations or shortages of dental care, such as community clinics, emergency rooms, nursing homes, homeless shelters, schools, prisons or Indian reservations.

This year, our program will provide training for 85 students who will provide approximately 1,600 patient encounters to patients who would otherwise not have access to dental care.

Our training program also provides internships and externships for dental students whenever opportunities occur.

Community Dental Care provides emergency care in the form of mini-grants for children and adults that are in pain and in need of immediate care but are unable to pay for their treatment. Please note that Community Dental Care reserves the right to decide when emergency funds may be applied.  This emergency care is primarily funded by individual donations and family foundations. Both the mini-grant funds and procedures eligible for mini-grant fund use are limited. Preference goes to homeless patients and children.

In 2010, we provided over 275 patient encounters totaling over $36,000 in mini-grant funds. Of these, 35 were children.

Patient Education

Maria’s smile is worth a

thousand words!

 

 

When Maria first came to our clinic, she wasn’t smiling. In fact, she was in a lot of pain from an infected tooth. Her parents didn’t have the money to pay for her care. Your gifts to both our emergency fund and our preventive educational program have helped Maria and today she has a healthy, happy smile!