Anthony, age 9
San Luis Obispo 

For years, Meriah Corsbie has been grappling with how to get dental treatment for her three children, as well as how to pay for it. In 2008, the family was covered by her husband’s employer-based insurance. The family lived in Santa Margarita, and traveled about 30 minutes to see their dentist in Arroyo Grande. “We had a wonderful dentist. I really liked his work, and we took our kids on a regular basis,” said Meriah. “Then my husband had a heart attack, and he hasn’t been able to work since.”  Meriah tried to keep up regular dental visits, but, without insurance, the cost was overwhelming. “Just a simple check-up was $200 to $250 cash.”

Recently, Meriah enrolled the children in Medi-Cal. “I liked our [original] dentist, and he was really great with our kids, but he doesn’t accept Medi-Cal,” she said. “I know how important it is for kids to see the same dentist, but I just couldn’t afford it any longer.”

Meanwhile, Anthony, age 9, has developed multiple cavities. “He has one tooth that gets an abscess over and over,” Meriah explained. At one point, Anthony was taken to the emergency room because of an abscess-related infection, a costly trip that would likely have been avoided if Anthony had regular access to dental care. 

Meriah has called numerous dentists in north San Luis Obispo County. “None of them take Medi-Cal. I’ve given up calling,” she said. “The only option is a dental clinic, but they have so many patients that they’re booked out more than four months. I was hoping Anthony could see a dentist before his abscess kicked up again.”