Karen S. Kim
John Marshall Elementary School student Moises Saavedra wasn't
acting like a typical kid on a visit to the dentist Tuesday
afternoon.
He sat in a dentist's chair of the USC School of Dentistry's
mobile clinic grinning from ear to ear and avidly using the suction
tube to keep his mouth dry.
Saavedra, 9, is one of about 120 students from low-income families
that will receive free dental care this week through Glendale Healthy
Kids.
"I was kind of afraid in the beginning, but now I'm not," said
Saavedra, pulling his lips open to show where he had a baby tooth
pulled Monday. "At first, when they said they were going to take out
my tooth, I thought they were just going to yank it off, but they
gave me three shots, and it didn't hurt."
Saavedra and his three brothers and sisters are participating in
the free mobile dental clinic. Saavedra's father, Juan, said he's
happy Glendale Healthy Kids is footing the bill.
"One time, it cost almost $1,000 to fix only one tooth for one of
my kids," he said. "So I like this program very much. I like
everything about it."
Through the program, USC dental students provide dental care for
needy kids.
"Dental students get to provide dental care and receive
experience, while the communities get dental care," said Dr. Brian
Kelleher, director of the USC mobile dental clinic. "There's a lot of
need in these communities, and it's unmet. Low-income kids have 2
1/2 times as much decay as kids who are better off."
Glendale Healthy Kids, which has sponsored the program for seven
years, secured a $28,000 grant from Baxter International this year to
finance the week-long clinic.
And Glendale YWCA provided the location for the clinic's four
large trailers, as well as its waiting area.
"It's a pleasure to be able to host this for the community," YWCA
Executive Director Wayne Page said. "I believe helping families and
children to live better lives is part of the YWCA mission."
The dentists from USC will remain at the YWCA through the end of
the week to finish treating children.
