Clinic offers inexpensive dental care to young adults

By Carmela Kelly, March 2010
News Editor

For anyone 20-years-old and under, affordable dental care is now available thanks to volunteer dentists at the Desert Mission Children’s Dental Clinic located at 9201 N. Fifth St. in Phoenix.

The non-profit clinic, which is affiliated with the John C. Lincoln Health Network, has been serving children since 1929, but it increased the age eligibility from 18 to 20 last year, says Dr. Ju Lawrence, DMD, director.

“We are committed to making high-quality dental care available to those in need,” she said. “We can now see a patient until his or her 21st birthday, which means that young adults can now access our services.”

Fees are set according to need, but most visits cost $20. Those seeking care in the clinic first see an eligibility coordinator, who assists in registration. New patients can usually be seen within a few days of registration, says Lawrence.

The clinic will not turn anyone away due to an inability to pay. They also treat patients, within federal guidelines, who lack American citizenship.

Diego Raya, an 18-year-old student at Glendale Community College and Sunnyslope High School, has never seen a “bad dentist.” He says, he has been going to the Children’s Dental Clinic all of his life as has his 15-year-old sister.

“They clean the teeth and take care of cavities,” says Raya. “They are so nice. You can tell they have lots of experience. It’s a good clinic.”

Dr. Lawrence says, she “love love loves getting a kid who needs four crowns.”

“I know I can help them (patients) not only with their dental health but with showing them that a dental visit can be a positive experience,” says Lawrence.

She also says she takes time to gain the child’s trust, proceeding slowly with the dental work as the child or young adult becomes more comfortable with her.

“They will want to come back,” she says. “I have had patients come back to say they want to become dentists.”

Not all of the patients are seen at the clinic as some of the clinic’s 60 volunteer dentists practice at their own offices using their own assistants and materials. Besides volunteer dentists, patients at the Children’s Dental Clinic are also cared for by volunteer dental hygienists and others.

“The volunteer support we receive from the dental community is amazing,” said Lawrence. “There is a lot of generosity in this community.”

The clinic has recently become a teaching facility. Dental students, dental hygienists and dental assistants come to the clinic to enhance their clinical skills.

“It’s fun to help teach,” says Lawrence, who also notes that the dental community is very closely knit in Phoenix. “They are quick to teach, volunteer and generous in sharing their time and expertise with patients and young dental professionals.”

The aim of Desert Mission is to get families healthy, so they can become self-sufficient. The clinic is funded through grants, donations and a small amount of funding from the City of Phoenix. The clinic also receives support from the John C. Lincoln Health Network. As a non-profit organization, the clinic may have to change its fee structure to a sliding scale or perhaps add a charge of one percent for services at the end of this year, says Lawrence.

Since 1929, the clinic has moved four times because of expansion with its last move into its new, state-of-the-art location. Donations made a portion of this new location possible.

For more information, please call 602-870-6363 or visit http://www.jcl.com/content/childrensdental/default.htm . The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.