CALIFORNIA DENTAL HYGIENISTS CALL FOR EXPANDED ACCESS TO CARE TO COMBAT EPIDEMIC OF ORAL DISEASE IN STATE
CDHA Marks 20th Anniversary as Voice of California’s Dental Hygiene Profession with Launch of Public Awareness Campaign

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (September 28, 2005) – Coinciding with its 20th year as the official voice of dental hygiene in the state, the California Dental Hygienists’ Association (www.cdha.org) today announced plans to launch a statewide awareness campaign to promote education and improved access to care for the millions of California citizens suffering from oral disease.

“There is an epidemic in California dental health, especially among children and low-income citizens who are being denied proper care,” said Lin Sarfaraz, RDH, CDHA’s newly elected president. “Sound dental health is integral to childhood development, health and socialization. Dental hygiene visits can also help save lives through early detection of cancer and other diseases that threaten seniors and older adults.”

According to the latest available statistics from the Dental Health Foundation, the problems are severe in California, which lags behind the nation in a number of areas with regard to children:

• The percentage of California children aged 6 to 8 who have untreated tooth decay was found to be twice as high as those in the same age bracket nationwide.
• Among California preschool children, 31% had at least one tooth that was decayed or filled, and 27% had untreated decay.
• In one California survey, 26% of preschoolers, 28% of the K-3 sample, and 44% of high school students had no dental insurance coverage.
• California ranks near the bottom (45th of all states) in terms of the percentage of citizens with access to fluoridated drinking water.
• Preschoolers in Head Start programs had decay rates that on average were 164% higher than those of children in other preschool settings.
• More than half of all school-age children have untreated tooth decay.

While those statistics are from 1993; a new report is due out this year and expected to yield similar results.

Additionally, the elderly are often an underserved population:

• For the age group of 65-75, only about 29 percent of the population is losing their teeth. This means that approximately 70% of the elder population will need preventive care.
• According to the US Census Bureau, Decennial Census Data & Population, projections, the age group of 65 years and older will grow to over 50 percent of the population once the baby boomer generation retires

To address these issues, CDHA is planning a host of events at the community level to raise awareness about the need for proper dental care. Dental hygienists throughout the state will be participating in health fairs and conducting outreach programs to underserved populations.

Furthermore, the association will continue its advocacy in Sacramento for expanded access to care. For years, CDHA has supported legislation and other public policies intended to provide greater autonomy and the independence necessary for dental hygienists to provide care to those who need it most – ethnic minorities, children, seniors and low-income populations.

“We will continue our efforts to raise awareness about this silent yet serious epidemic,” said Sarfaraz. “The state’s dental hygienists are committed to finding solutions and ensuring that all those who need and deserve proper care actually receive it.”

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Reporters interested in obtaining more information or profiling dental hygienists in their communities should contact Stevan Allen at (916) 448-1336 or stevan@allenstrategic.com.

The California Dental Hygienists’ Association (CHDA) is the authoritative voice of the state’s dental hygiene profession. While registered dental hygienists have worked in the state for nearly a century, CDHA was established 20 years ago when two regional associations merged to form a unified professional group. CDHA represents thousands of dental hygienists throughout the state and is dedicated to expanding opportunities for the profession and access to care for all Californians