Dylan and Grace, Age 5
San Luis Obispo 

Dawn Carlton, mother of 5-year-old twins, Dylan and Grace, is a marine biologist, who worked for the California Department of Fish and Game for years. “Even when I had insurance through my employer, it was difficult to get a dental appointments for my children because I lived in an area where dentists were booked for months,” said Dawn. In 2011, Dawn had just finished working a yearlong contract as an oil company biologist in Arroyo Grande, CA. “Unfortunately, when the contract ended, the recession was in full swing, and I haven’t found a steady job since.”

In June 2012, Dawn enrolled Dylan and Grace in Medi-Cal. At that time, Dylan had a cavity. “I was able to find one clinic that could see him at the end of September,” said Dawn. “That’s three months away. He may have a small cavity now, but how much worse will it be in three months?” Unfortunately, many dentists in San Luis Obispo County have stopped accepting Medi-Cal or they are not taking new patients. A local resource specialist suggested that Dawn contact a mobile dental van that visits a day center for the homeless population in San Luis Obispo about 30 miles away. “I’m open to any option,” said Dawn. “They might be able to see Dylan at the end of August, but the first visit is just an assessment. You have to come back the next day for the treatment, if they can do the treatment.” If Dawn finds employment by then, she worries about taking time off from a new job to travel to two different appointments for Dylan’s dental care.  

Dylan starts kindergarten on August 20. Dawn understands how important the first weeks of school can be for a kindergartener to adjust and thrive in school. “It’s hard to pay attention and listen to the teacher when you have a toothache,” she said. “It saddens me to think that my son’s first six weeks of school are going to be overshadowed by pain. Getting a simple cavity filled shouldn’t be this difficult.”