Dental clinic for HIV-positive, low income patients opens in Pasadena

Accessing much-needed dental care is no longer like pulling teeth for HIV-positive patients in San Gabriel Valley.

A new dental clinic that recently opened in Pasadena fills a major health care gap for those who have HIV, but lack insurance. That’s because while nonprofit and public health agencies typically step in to provide anti-viral medications and other services, when it comes to dental procedures, options are scarce.

With two dentists — one of them part time — a dental hygienist and two assistants, the three-chair clinic on North Fair Oaks Avenue is equipped to provide most common dental services, including cleanings, filings, extractions, crowns, root canals and other procedures, for 10 to 20 patients per day, said Melanie Washington, the clinic’s director and full-time dentist.

The Pasadena Public Health Department recently launched the clinic within the agency’s offices after determining there was a lack of free or low-cost dental care for HIV-positive and low-income clients who lack insurance.

“When you look at what’s happening in health care, including the Affordable Care Act, there are holes that are left, and dental care is one of them. We’re trying to create a safety net for those individuals who don’t have one,” Pasadena Public Health Director Eric Walsh said.

The Michael D. Antonovich Dental Clinic — named for the Los Angeles County supervisor whose office allocated the bulk of startup funding, or about $365,000 — is the only city-operated dental clinic in the state, California Department of Public Health spokesman Ken August said.

Because the clinic’s operating costs are currently covered by county AIDS program funds, patients must be low-income and HIV-positive to qualify for free or low-cost care.

But officials are seeking additional funds and plan to start treating low-income seniors and others who lack dental insurance by as early as September, Walsh said.

Though the state’s Medi-Cal program covers dental care for children, pregnant women and the disabled, lawmakers cut dental benefits for adults in 2009 amid the state budget crisis.

That means many of the patients Washington sees haven’t seen a dentist in more than four years, she said.

“Some haven’t seen a dentist in more than 10 years,” Washington said. “They come in and we’re basically starting from scratch.”

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Follow Joe Piasecki on Twitter: @JoePiasecki.

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