Sunshine, age 6
Siskiyou County
In February 2012, Sunshine Cardenas, 6, received a dental screening through the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. “The dental hygienist said that everything looked pretty good, except for a small spot on her back molar,” explained Maggie Cardenas, Sunshine’s mother. “She couldn’t tell if it was a cavity, but she said I needed to get her to the dentist to be checked.”
Soon after, Maggie called to make her daughter an appointment with their dentist. “The earliest they could see Sunshine was six months away in August,” she said. There is no other dentist in Yreka who accepts Medi-Cal insurance. Maggie was left with no other option but to wait. At first, Sunshine did not experience pain, but within a few months, toothaches began. “I put pain reliever gel on it, and that made it easier for her to go to school,” said Maggie. As the pain became more persistent, Maggie called the dentist again to see if they could get Sunshine in but was told that there was no room on the schedule.
After months of waiting, Sunshine’s toothache took a turn for the worst. In July, while Sunshine was eating waffles at school, syrup got into her cavity, causing intense pain. After seeing the school nurse, Sunshine was sent home. Once they got home, Maggie notified the dental office. “I told them that this is an emergency and she can’t wait any longer!” Maggie exclaimed. “She was in terrible pain. I was so relieved when they said to bring her right in.”
The dental treatment was very quick. “We didn’t talk about a filling or cap,” Maggie said, “at that point, the dentist said the only option was an extraction.”
In February, Sunshine’s tooth had a small spot of discoloration. Six months later, her molar had advanced decay, requiring the tooth to be pulled. Wait times for dental visits in rural areas like Yreka are not uncommon and can often lead to unnecessary dental procedures. The situation with Sunshine was frustrating. “Even though we don’t have a car, the dental office is only four blocks away. I could have taken Sunshine to an appointment at a moment’s notice,” said Maggie.
