Collaboration Serves Migrant Farmer Workers in Central California

Collaboration Serves Migrant Farmer Workers in Central California

STOCKTON, CA – Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry partnered with Sullivan-Schein to bring much needed dental services to a Central Valley migrant farm worker program, one of the most underserved populations in California, from Sept. 6-8, 2006.

Sullivan-Schein and the American Dental Association’s mobile dental treatment center, “Tomorrow’s Dental Office Today,” traveled to San Joaquin County’s Joseph J. Artesi Migrant Center III in Stockton, California, for this outreach program. The innovative vehicle served as a state-of-the-art treatment center and provided each patient with digital X-rays. University faculty, residents, dental and dental hygiene students – many of whom drove more than two hours to volunteer – provided approximately $20,000 of preventive, restorative and urgent care services, in addition to oral health education to 85 underserved adults and preschool children.

San Joaquin County Migrant Education, Su Salud and San Joaquin County provided translation services, transportation, refreshments and additional portable equipment.

“The migrant farm worker outreach program gave tomorrow’s practitioners – our dental and dental hygiene students and AGD residents – a unique opportunity to see the hardships faced by the working poor in accessing dental services,” stated Christine Miller, associate professor and director of community programs at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. “In addition, the individuals experienced first hand the satisfaction of providing services and relieving pain in a program made possible by the collaboration of public and private organizations. We hope to make this an annual program.”

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