Tolosa Children's Dental Center: Healthy smiles, stronger futures
$706,000
Expanding access to quality pediatric dental care for underserved children in San Luis Obispo County through school-based services and strengthening pediatric dental capacity will ensure more children receive the care they need to stay healthy, confident, and ready to learn.
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The Need
Tooth decay remains the most common chronic childhood disease in the United States, more than asthma, obesity, and diabetes. In California, dental disease contributes to more than 874,000 missed school days each year. In San Luis Obispo County, nearly 45% of children have experienced cavities by third grade, rising to nearly 70% among low-income children. In rural San Miguel, the need is especially urgent: 94.7% of Lillian Larsen students are socioeconomically disadvantaged, and 79% of students screened in 2024 needed sealants. With no local dental services, families face transportation, language, income, and work-schedule barriers that make access difficult. School-based dental care creates a direct path to prevention, education, and lasting oral health.
The Outcome
This project expands Tolosa’s Dentistry at School program into San Miguel, CA. The permanent dental suite uses specialized equipment and digital technology so that Dental professionals will provide on-campus cleanings, sealants, fluoride treatments, x-rays, screenings, and oral health education in a convenient, safe, and familiar environment.
Over the next three years, this investment will also support critical improvements at Tolosa Children’s Dental Center in Paso Robles and the organization as a whole. These improvements include:
- Hiring TCDC’s Outreach Coordinator
- Dental equipment for Dentistry at School, San Miguel
- Funding for clinical support and services
- Remodeling, furnishing, and equipping the main office in Paso Robles
- Professional dental consulting and staff training
Together, these investments strengthen TCDC’s capacity to deliver high-quality pediatric dental care to more children and families throughout San Luis Obispo County.
The Impact
Bringing preventive dental care directly onto a school campus removes significant barriers for underserved and underinsured families in rural communities like San Miguel. Students receive routine care in a familiar environment without missing valuable classroom time, while parents avoid transportation challenges, missed work, and costly emergency visits. Early intervention helps reduce chronic pain, untreated decay, and long-term health complications that can impact academic performance and overall well-being. Beyond improving oral health, this investment creates lasting generational impact by providing children and families with oral hygiene education, nutritional counseling, and consistent preventive and restorative care. A healthy smile strengthens confidence, supports future opportunities, and helps children thrive both in and outside the classroom.