The Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation has given $15,000 to La Clinica’s Happy Smiles dental outreach program that provides basic dental care in local schools.
Happy Smiles provides dental screenings and education, fluoride treatments, sealants to help prevent tooth decay, and dental care kits with toothbrush, toothpaste and floss, along with referrals to local dentists for those needing more comprehensive care. It serves 28 schools in Jackson County including elementary and middle schools in partnership with Medford, Phoenix-Talent, and Central Point school districts, and the Oregon Child Development Coalition.
The dental care La Clinica provides in schools reaches about 15,000 children annually, helping set youngsters on a path to a lifetime of healthy teeth. Getting dental care at school helps reduce absences and prevent pain that can make it hard for kids to concentrate and learn. It’s also convenient for parents and guardians, who can get their children’s basic dental care done without having to take time off work for appointments. The care is free for children in low-income households that don’t have dental insurance.
Since its start in 2005, Happy Smiles has relied on community support to pay for its services at schools and other locations. Learn more about Happy Smiles at https://laclinicahealth.org/services/school-based/dental/.
Since 1998, the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation has supported nonprofits dedicated to improving lives in seven southwestern Oregon counties, granting more than $20 million over the decades. Its most recent round of giving in January 2022 awarded $625,692 to 62 nonprofits in Coos, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, and Lane counties.
About La Clinica
La Clinica offers wellness-focused medical, dental, mental health, and substance use disorder care at 26 sites: six primary health centers, an Acute Care Clinic, East Medford Dental Clinic, 17 school-based centers, and a mobile center. Although its mission focuses on providing access to low-income people, La Clinica is open to everyone. La Clinica was founded in 1989 to serve the primary and preventive care needs of migrant and seasonal farm workers in Jackson County. In 2001, in response to an increasing need for affordable primary health, La Clinica expanded its scope to serve every member of the community. All services are offered regardless of a patient’s ability to pay, and on a sliding-scale basis for the uninsured and low income.
Contact: Julie Wurth, communications officer
541-512-3153
jwurth@laclinicahealth.org
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