Oral Health

Provides dental care for vulnerable children through the NCF Pediatric Dental Center, Healthcare Network’s Nichols Community Health Center and prevention-focused outreach programs that sustain long-term treatment and prevention.

A carefully created multidisciplinary system that identifies, treats and prevents children’s mental health issues by employing early intervention tools, whole family support and timely acute behavioral services.

Total Funding Since 2006: $20,622,187Total Funding Since 2006: $20,622,187

Girl opening teeth and looking at them with the dentist

Our Why

Oral Health is essential for child wellbeing, and untreated oral diseases can cause pain, infections and problems with eating and speaking, which impacts a child’s ability to learn and grow. Tooth decay is among the most common chronic childhood diseases, ahead of asthma and hay fever. Oral health care is the most prevalent unmet children’s health need especially in low-income, minority and rural communities.

SINCE 2008, OVER

200K

pediatric dental visits have been provided by the NCF Pediatric Dental Center.

The Need

In 2020, the Department of Health reported 287 active dentists in Collier County, but less than 2% accepted Medicaid patients, thus limiting access to quality care for vulnerable children. In addition, the presence of severe disability requires the use of general anesthesia. However, the limited number of qualified health personnel means longer waiting times before intervention can be long. While often thought of as a health crisis, severe medical complications resulting from minimal oral care and treatment can be extremely dangerous or even fatal.

Our Blueprint Partners

We are proud to collaborate with esteemed organizations that exemplify the highest efficacy standards. Together, we are committed to developing innovative programs to provide dental care to the vulnerable children of Collier Country.

Healthcare Network

With NCF’s support, Healthcare Network has expanded its pediatric dental services, including sedation dentistry, at the Nichols Community Health Center.
UF College of Dentistry

Since 2006, NCF and University of Florida College of Dentistry have worked closely to establish this initiative through a multiphase process including the NCF Pediatric Dental Center at Florida SouthWestern State College to expand clinical services. Phase II established a prevention-focused community outreach effort followed by Phases III and IV which added evidence-based, community-delivered and minimally invasive treatment for dental disease in addition to pediatric IV sedation.