Anthony, Age 12
San Luis Obispo County  

In August, 2012, Anthony Lewis, age 12, was getting ready to head back to school. Anthony is a good student and likes school, but he is not looking forward to class. He has several cavities that have been causing pain for months. “They ache, and sometimes I don’t want to do anything,” Anthony explained. Kesha Lewis, Anthony’s mother, called Denti-Cal and was given the name of a dentist and several clinics that accept Medi-Cal. “They’re booked until December and January,” she said. “He can’t wait that long. He’s in pain all the time and only wants to eat soft food.” Kesha said that the only way Anthony can get treatment earlier is if someone cancels an appointment.

Several years ago, her children were treated by a dentist in Lompoc, about 90 miles away. “That’s when I had a car. Now we have to take the bus, and there are several connections,” she said. The different bus lines make it almost impossible to get Anthony to an appointment that is far away. Kesha believes that Anthony will need several extractions and fillings. She considered paying out of pocket and called a dental office for a treatment estimate. “It was around $800, way more than I can afford right now,” she said.

Kesha has been out of work for a year, but she is looking forward to completing a phlebotomy course and working at a medical facility.  “I’ve been told that after working for six months, most employers provide medical and dental benefits,” she said. “I don’t want Anthony to wait until December to see a dentist, but I don’t know what else to do.”