SAN BERNARDINO >> Dennis Young struggled to speak after he had three teeth extracted at a free health clinic Saturday at the National Orange Show Events Center, hosted by Molina Healthcare.
The words came out, but it sounded like Young, jaws clamping down on gauze pads, had a mouthful of mashed potatoes.
“I’m feeling the pain, but it’s all good,” said Young, 52, of Moreno Valley.
He said he crashed his mountain bike and fractured three of his teeth, which were causing him severe pain. But he had no dental insurance and couldn’t afford to pay out of pocket. A friend told him about Saturday’s clinic, Care for a Healthy I.E.
“She brought me down here. I call her my lifesaver,” said Young. “In a couple of months I’ll get dental implants put in so I can have my beautiful smile back.”
Young was one of hundreds of Inland Empire residents who attended Saturday’s clinic for free medical and dental screenings and some surgical procedures. It was the first day of open enrollment for Covered California, and its executive director, Peter Lee, was in attendance to help promote enrollment.
Last year, California topped every other state in the nation in reducing its rate of uninsured — from 22 percent to 11 percent, Lee said.
“But that still means there’s over three million Californians without insurance, and so today, Nov. 15, is the first day of the 3-month open enrollment period,” Lee said. “We want to make sure word gets out. San Bernardino and Riverside counties have huge populations of people who need coverage and need to get the word, so that’s what we’re doing here.”
About 494,000 residents in San Bernardino and Riverside counties who are eligible for insurance under Covered California and Medi-Cal remain uninsured.
Patricia Ortega of Rancho Cucamonga sat in a triage area awaiting an examination by one of several doctors from the Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, which partnered with Molina Healthcare for the weekend free clinic.
Dr. Stephen Denq checked Ortega’s heartbeat and asked her a litany of questions before prescribing her blood-pressure and cholesterol medication.
Ortega said she has high blood pressure and cannot afford dental insurance. Two extractions and a teeth cleaning will run her $1,600, she said.
“That’s a lot of money I don’t have,” Ortega said.
San Bernardino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales, who attended Saturday’s event, said her 5th District has one of the highest uninsured populations in the county, and stressed the importance of those uninsured residents taking the initiative to learn more about what their health insurance options.
“It’s about educating them and making them aware of their responsibilities,” Gonzales said. “There is no substitute for self-initiation.”
About 500 people registered for Saturday’s clinic — some showing up as early as 3 a.m., said Ruthy Argumedo, vice president of Molina Healthcare of California.
Though the event required attendees to register in advance, walk-ins are now being allowed. The event continues from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday with free medical, dental, vision and acupuncture services.
The National Orange Show Events Center is at 689 S. E St.
