For parents, the care and safety of your children come first. Ensuring that their needs are met and they are thriving is paramount. Imagine seeking much-needed dental care for your child, yet being turned away again and again, unable to break through the barriers that keep your child from accessing care. Thanks to our community’s support, Sonrisas is breaking down that barrier.
When Yasmine* arrived at our office, she and her parents had been turned away already by several other dentists. Her father, Luis*, had devoted many hours to trying to find a dentist that would take Medi-Cal Dental, each occurrence taking time away from work. However, each time a dentist realized the extent of restorative work that needed to be completed in 8-year-old Yasmine’s mouth, they declined to offer further treatment. They were not willing to take a risk on a patient so young. Sadly, Luis and his family were stuck in the cycle of referrals for months, until finally, a family friend told him about Sonrisas Dental Health. With pediatric specialist dentists and a hospital dentistry program, Sonrisas was well equipped to meet Yasmine’s needs.
Luis tells us that when he brought his daughter to her appointment at Sonrisas, he was “very happy with the welcoming staff and clean office. Everyone gave me the attention that I wanted to take care of my daughter. And the best part was that the treatment [happened].” He also noted that Sonrisas’ staff “went beyond, by calling to check up on [my] daughter, even after hours.”
Luis was grateful to have found a way to care for his daughter and felt confident that Sonrisas could provide care. He now intends to make Sonrisas the dental home for his whole family!
Sonrisas is very fortunate to have support from our community partners at Sutter Health-Mills Peninsula Medical Center, so that we can safely and compassionately offer restorative services, even for young children with extensive decay. Our Hospital Dentistry Program for Children has been made possible through your financial support.
*The names and identifying information in this story have been changed for patient privacy.