Sun Life Family Health Center received a $600,000 oral health grant from the Pinal Regional Partnership Council of the Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board (First Things First) to implement a new mobile dental program.
The grant will be used to bring dental screenings to many remote communities normally isolated from dental services and provide comprehensive dental screenings and fluoride varnish application to children up to age 5. Prenatal women also will be eligible for the dental screenings.
In addition, Sun Life will provide outreach, helping parents enroll their children in available public insurance programs. If a child is ineligible, Sun Life will help parents qualify for the organization's sliding-fee discount program.
Oral health information and materials also will be distributed, with an emphasis on parent education. Another important component of the program is to assist the family to in developing ongoing oral healthcare habits by establishing a dental home with a dental provider in the area.
