Dental Care for Pregnant Women and Children Ages 0 to 5

SAN YSIDRO — Through generous funding from the First 5 Commission of San Diego, the San Ysidro Health Center, through the Oral Health Initiative, is providing free dental services for children ages 0 to 5 and pregnant women at its dental clinics in Southeastern San Diego/National City and the South Bay!

Eligibility includes uninsured children 0 through 5 (less than 6 years old) who have not yet entered kindergarten (children on Share of Cost Medi-Cal may be covered while meeting their share of cost).  In addition, the free dental service programs cover uninsured pregnant women through 90 days after childbirth as well as pregnant women on Denti-Cal.

Many things influence a child’s progress and success before they enter kindergarten, said Dr. Sergio Cuevas, dental director at San Ysidro Health Center, and one of the most important things is their health.

“Children must be healthy to learn and children with cavities are not healthy. Cavities are preventable, but they affect more children than any other chronic disease,” he said.

“Children need their teeth to eat properly, speak, smile, and feel good about themselves,” Dr. Cuevas added. “Children with cavities eat poorly, stop smiling, and don’t learn properly. Tooth decay is an infection that does not heal without treatment. If cavities are not treated, children can develop infections severe enough to require emergency room treatment and their adult teeth may be permanently damaged.”

Pregnancy is a particularly important time for dental care, said Dr. Cuevas. During pregnancy, increased hormone levels can make a woman’s teeth and gums extra sensitive to bacteria, which can increase their risk of developing certain dental infections.

San Ysidro Health Center, which sees approximately 50,000 low income patients a year, emphasizes cultural sensitivity. “We speak in a language they can understand,” Dr. Cuevas said.