Outreach Program
Our Outreach Program eliminates transportation as a barrier to care for underserved Santa Cruz County residents at many venues, including schools, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and our one-chair Outreach Clinic at Housing Matters in Santa Cruz.
Our partnerships provide patients who might not otherwise get access to dental services to the treatment they need. In addition, the collaborations ensure that oral health is a topic in classrooms and in the outreach materials we provide.
At our outreach sites, our staff delivers oral health evaluations including x-rays, and procedures such as cleanings and fluoride varnish. Those patients who require more complex care are referred back to our clinic.
Dientes provides oral health education and preventive services in six school districts (Pajaro Valley Unified, Live Oak, San Lorenzo Valley, Soquel Unified, Santa Cruz City & Santa Cruz County Office of Education) at 23 schools. The program has been a huge success since its inception in 2009. We expanded our Outreach Program in 2016 to provide services and education at 12 Head Start locations around the county.
Dientes Cares Program
Our Dientes Cares Program focuses on making oral health care available to all, especially for low-income, uninsured patients. For those patients who do not have dental insurance, Dientes charges Medi-cal or a sliding scale fee (based on proof of income) and more.
Specialty Care Program
Dientes offers comprehensive specialty care for patients who previously had to leave the county and wait several months to access services, because there was no endodontist or oral surgeon in Santa Cruz County that accepted Medi-Cal. Through our Specialty Care Program, adults and children can receive root canals, extractions, and other surgical procedures from an oral surgeon and endodontist at our main clinic.