The UCLA School of Dentistry received $11 million in funding from First 5 LA, a child advocacy and grant-organization based in the Los Angeles area. The funding is aimed at increasing the accessibility of dental care toward children and pregnant women.
More specifically, the funding will allow for the creation of UCLA-First 5 LA Children’s Dental Care Program (CDCP). The CDCP will reportedly be geared toward providing dental care for children throughout their first five years of life. Pregnant mothers will similarly receive coverage for a period of five years.
The increase in coverage is welcomed news among underprivileged communities experiencing a legitimate need for accessible care. Dental technicians hope to preserve the oral health of children from their day of birth, providing a sustainable foundation to benefit them past adolescence.
The UCLA School of Dentistry has incidentally received funding from First 5 LA in years past, having received an additional sum of nearly $10 million. The latest addition to funding brings the total amount to a whopping $21 million within the last 12 months.
Dr. James J. Crall, project director of the CDCP, stated, “Our goal, over the next five years, is to develop an integrated health-care delivery system that will provide quality, ongoing dental care to underserved young children and pregnant women in Los Angeles communities. We hope the Children’s Dental Care Program will serve as a prototype for transforming the oral health care system for young children throughout Los Angeles County and beyond.”
According to reports, the CDCP will make an attempt to satisfy a variety of goals including expanding the UCLA-First 5 LA project with an already established number of 12 clinics within the Los Angeles area.
