On September 19, more than 40 medical and dental professionals came together at MemorialCare Outpatient Surgical Center in Long Beach to provide comprehensive dental care to eight children and young adults with significant special needs. They were joined by 22 UCLA School of Dentistry students who observed and supported the team throughout the day, triaging supplies, scribing, tracking instruments and helping wherever they were needed. In the process, they gained a firsthand view of the delivery of special needs dentistry in an operating room setting. It was an extraordinary day, and our second Hometown Mission dedicated to special needs dental care in the past 12 months. For the families we served, getting to this day was not easy. All eight patients had been on waiting lists trying to gain access to dental care, and several had aged out while waiting. Our patients live with conditions including cerebral palsy, autism, microcephaly and seizure disorders, and for them, receiving dental treatment in a traditional dental office simply isn't possible. Many of the dentists who volunteered with us regularly treat patients with special needs in their own practices. But there comes a point when a patient's needs require a level of anesthesia that cannot safely be provided in a dental office. These patients needed general anesthesia in an operating room, and access to that kind of care is extremely limited. That is the gap our Hometown Mission is trying to help fill.
Each patient spent approximately two and a half to three hours under general anesthesia while our dental teams provided X rays, cleanings, restorations and dental surgery when necessary. Together, that represented nearly 24 hours of operating room care in a single day. We also made the most of the opportunity. All eight patients received an Ear, Nose, and Throat examination, and blood draws were performed as needed, procedures that are impossible for our patients to tolerate while awake. None of this happens without partners. The CDA Foundation sponsored the mission and provided the specialized dental equipment needed for the day. XDR Radiology provided dental imaging sensors and technology, and MemorialCare Outpatient Surgical Center provided the operating rooms and facilities that made this care possible. We are also grateful for support from the Helen and Jose Colton Foundation and the Pepperdine Philanthropy Lab, and for every dentist, anesthesiologist, ENT surgeon, nurse, medical professional and volunteer who gave their time and skills. Whether it's helping kids overseas or right here at home, our goal remains the same: to bring access to care where it is needed. We hope to continue growing our Hometown Mission for patients with special needs. If you know a child, teen or young adult with special needs who may benefit from a future Hometown Mission, please call us at 800 993 5680 or refer a patient at mendingkids.org/htm.html. HIKE 2 MEND - 10.03.2026
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Mailing Address:
Mending Kids 21255 Burbank Blvd, Ste 120 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 General Inquiry: Phone: 818-843-6363 Email: [email protected] |
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Mending Kids is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization registered in California, United States of America.