It seems like oral health always gets the short shrift: Most health insurance policies don’t include it. The Affordable Care Act doesn’t mandate it. And during Covid, regular dental care has taken a dive.
On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling interviews three local people who are working hard to change this perception of oral health. Dr. Sepi Taghvaei, Chief Dental Officer of Dientes Community Dental Care, speaks of the sort of care that low-income patients receive in our county. Primavera Hernandez, Oral Health Program Manager for Santa Cruz County Public Health, describes outreach programs and how the County is working to connect with nonprofits, practitioners, and educators in order to promote oral health in children and adults. David Brody, Executive Director of First 5 Santa Cruz, details the ways that local agencies are working hard to keep their connections with families and children.
The Oral Health Summit this Thursday is open to all community members. Listen to our podcast for background, then join to find out about what is being done in our county to make it a leader in oral health.
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