Senator Alex Padilla, District 20 in the San Fernando Valley area, was on hand for a demonstration of the Virtual Dental Home pilot project on  Friday, February 26 at Meet Each Need with Dignity in Pacoima. “I am an engineer, so it is my nature to try and find solutions to problems,” said Senator Padilla. “The collaboration between the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, the California Dental Association Foundation, Verizon and the California HealthCare Foundation demonstrates that when partnerships are formed we can still do great things in and for our communities even during times of unprecedented budgetary constraints.”

The groundbreaking project, which has received funding from the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, the California HealthCare Foundation, and the Paradise Valley Community Health Fund of The San Diego Foundation is needed to address the ‘access to care’ crisis in California by connecting patients with critical dental services. 
This project was designed to test two premises: Can dentists accurately diagnosis and treatment plan remotely using computer and broadband technology (i.e., teledentistry); and does the utilization of registered dental hygienists and registered dental assistants in community settings create a more effective model of care and referral, resulting in these populations receiving the dental care that they are currently unable to access?

This multi-year pilot project establishes an opportunity for dentists to maximize their time by diagnosing patients’ needs remotely, based on diagnostic records collected by the dental hygienists and assistants at the community site, and it allows the dentist to guide the dental assistants and hygienists in providing immediate and appropriate care.  The allied dental professionals take X-rays and intraoral photographs, provide oral health education, apply sealants and fluoride, and temporize open caries until the patient can be seen by the dentist.

 “This pilot project helps dentists improve the oral health of all Californians,” said Lindsey Robinson, DDS, chair of the CDA Foundation board of directors.