LLU School of Dentistry Journal

Journal

Spring 2002

News briefs
SAC-Norton dental clinic provides much-needed care

Faculty who staff SAC-Norton dental clinic include (from left): Drs. Ronald Fritz; Periza Zaninovic; Rodney Turner; Koren Borland; and John Neary. Drs. Turner and Neary work at the clinic full time.

“Everyone deserves quality dental care,” proclaims the bright yellow brochure that introduces the dental clinic at SAC–Norton clinic, located at 1455 East Third Street in San Bernardino.

The clinic, which opened in 1995, is located on the former Norton Air Force Base. It is under the umbrella of SAC (Social Action Community) Health System, part of LLU.

The clinic provides service to a population which is medically underserved—and accepts Denti-Cal and Healthy Families plans in addition to other insurance. Clients with limited income qualify for a sliding-fee scale, based on income and family size.

Though many patients live in the community near the clinic, some who have experienced the care, travel to the clinic from outside the area—one patient commutes for dental care from Vista.

The clinic staff is comprised of three full-time and two part-time dentists, five registered dental assistants, and two chairside dental assistants. Nancy Young serves as administrator for the SAC–Norton facility.

The dental clinic offers full-scale dental care, including preventive and restorative dentistry, periodontal and endodontic treatment, crowns and fixed bridges, dentures, oral surgery, and mouthguard fabrication.

Dental hygiene students provide care on Thursdays under the direction of Karen Simpson. In addition, staff often assist in community outreach including health fairs.

Compassion Clinic is a free dental clinic which began operation on January 10, 1999, at SAC–Norton Dental Clinic. It is staffed by volunteers two Sundays a month, from noon to 6:00 p.m. Dentists, student dentists and dental hygienists from the School of Dentistry, as well as personnel from SAC-Norton Dental Clinic and from the private dental practice of Drs. Mark Carpenter and Erin Estey, donate their time and expertise to help members of the community.

From 20 to 30 patients are served at each session. After one’s treatment is complete, another patient is added.

According to Mark Carpenter, SD’80, Compassion Clinic founder, the clinic is responding in Christian love to serve the people of the Inland Empire. “Referral and screening for eligibility is provided by eight faith-based agencies who regularly serve the poor in our area,” says Dr. Carpenter. “Clients have no other resource for care and are living at the level of poverty, where the average income is $5,500 a year.”

Compassion Clinic patients are referred and transported by churches with outreach ministries.

The service learning department oversees the clinic and provides student volunteers. Compassion Clinic depends on private donations. Although the treatments are free to patients, the overhead cost is approximately $15 per patient visit, excluding laboratory fees for replacement teeth.

Dr. Carpenter and sponsoring agencies would like Inland Empire residents, businesses, and churches to partner with the program to sponsor a dental chair for one day ($60), a clinic for one day ($600 for 40 patients), or for a month ($1,200).

News Briefs