[Images courtesy Young & Healthy / via Facebook]
Through August 7, licensed dental professionals and students from the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at the University of Southern California provide screenings, cleanings and sealants for young people ages 5 to 18. The clinic operates from a dental van parked at the library, part of a partnership among Young & Healthy, USC and the Pasadena Public Library.
For Young & Healthy, which has worked for more than three decades to connect low-income Pasadena-area children with medical, dental and mental health care, the timing carries added weight. State budget changes taking effect this summer are expected to affect Medi-Cal dental coverage, and many families displaced by the Eaton Fire continue to face gaps in access. The van is meant to reach children who might otherwise go without a dentist.
Appointments are required. Families can sign up at the Young & Healthy outreach table inside the Jefferson Branch Library or by phone. The organization draws on a network of hundreds of volunteer health professionals and also helps families enroll in insurance coverage.
The screenings serve a purpose beyond the immediate cleaning: they identify children who need further treatment, who can then be connected to follow-up care through Young & Healthy’s broader programs. For parents juggling summer schedules, the clinic offers a rare combination — professional dental care, close to home and at no cost.
Young & Healthy’s free dental clinic runs through Friday, August 7, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jefferson Branch Library, 1500 E. Villa St., in Pasadena. Appointments are required; visit the Young & Healthy outreach table at the library or call (626) 795-5166. Admission is free.
