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About Us
Charlottesville Area Dental Access, Inc. is a 501c3
nonprofit organization that operates the Community Children’s Dental
Center. Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of underserved
children in our community by providing quality dental care. Emphasis is
placed on encouraging personal responsibility, educating about oral health
issues, and promoting routine preventive services.
Dental disease is second only to colds in terms of prevalence in children.
Unlike a cold, though, tooth decay does not go away. It only gets worse,
and can cause pain that makes it difficult for children to eat, sleep and
pay attention in school. If tooth decay is visible in a child’s mouth, it
can have a devastating effect on the child’s self-esteem.
While fluoride, improved home hygiene and increased dental visits have
made a difference in many children’s dental health, there is still a
significant need for low-income children. The American Dental Association
reports that low income is the single best predictor of high tooth decay
in children, and that children from families with annual incomes of
$10,000 - $20,000 have 10 times more unmet dental needs than children
whose families earn more than $50,000 per year.
In the greater Charlottesville area, there are more than 10,000 children
who have dental insurance coverage with the state-sponsored programs of
Medicaid and FAMIS. Prior to the opening of the Community Children’s
Dental Center, these children had few options as most area dentists do not
take Medicaid/FAMIS. With the opening of the Dental Center, there is now a
resource for children who are in dental pain and need restorative work as
well as ongoing preventive care.
If you would like to make a donation online to help support our efforts,
please
click here. You may also mail a donation to our address below, or
call us for more information. Thank you for making every smile count!
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