Honored with the Service Above Self award by Rotary International, veteran nonprofit executive Rose Padilla Johnson has spent more than 25 years working on behalf of the most vulnerable residents of San Leandro and surrounding Alameda County. Rose Padilla Johnson consolidated all of the Davis Street Family Resource Center’s services into a single location to provide comprehensive medical services for its San Leandro clientele. The Davis Street Primary Clinic offers medical and behavioral health services as well as dental care under one roof.
In an effort to address oral health disparities among its poorest residents, California has taken several important steps toward making dental care more accessible for all. Below are three of its initiatives.
Oral Health Plan - The 10-year plan articulates the state’s strategies for expanding dental care for target populations, including children under six, pregnant women, and people at high risk of oral and throat cancers. Under this plan, the state aims to increase access to preventive oral health procedures.
Dental Transformation Initiative - Seven out of 10 California children aged 6-9 have been diagnosed with tooth decay. DTI aims to reduce childhood cavities and increase access to preventive dental care for children enrolled in the state’s Medicare program, Medi-Cal.
Medi-Cal - To improve dental care for low-income adults, the state also expanded procedures covered by Medi-Cal. The procedures include some implants, denture work and repairs, root canals, and scaling.
