“California does have a good supply of dentists, but they’re not where we need them and they’re not necessarily treating people who need dental work the most,” said Jenny Kattlove, director of strategic health initiatives for The Children’s Partnership, the bill’s sponsor.
“There is a huge disparity in how much oral health care low-income and minority kids receive in California,” Kattlove said.
California has 333 federally designated dental health professional shortage areas, Kattlove said. All but five of California’s 58 counties have dental professional shortage areas, according to The Children’s Partnership.
“And nearly one million kids live in those areas,” Kattlove said. “That’s the statistic that we’re most concerned with.”
