Santa Barbara Sunrise Rotary Supports Bright Smiles for the 6th Consecutive Year 

The Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise partnered with the Eastside Family Dental Clinic (operated by the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics) to sponsor Free Dental Day, free oral health treatment services for individuals who cannot afford to pay for major dental work. The event has been sponsored by Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise since 2012 and has provided dental procedures for hundreds of Santa Barbara residents.

The Free Dental Day provided 44 patients with 52 fillings, 5 extractions, 7 root canals and other dental treatments. Patients served ranged in age from 4 to 73 years old. Patients receive exams, cleanings and x-rays prior to the event; to ensure the support from Sunrise Rotary will have maximum impact. Volunteer Rotarians provided oral hygiene instruction to patients and their families in the waiting room. All patients left with a happy smile and better oral health. Support for Free Dental Day is provided by the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise Charitable Foundation and a grant from Rotary International District 5240. “Funding from organizations such as Sunrise Rotary is critical to our success,” said Dr. Domenic Caluori, Chief Dental Officer of Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics. “There is always a gap in funding that can only be met through critical support from our community.”The need for dental care of low income families is tremendous. In the state of California there is one dentist for 12,000 low income patients versus one dentist per 1,000 patients with private insurance or who can pay on their own. Photo:  Rotarian, Kathleen Rogers, provided oral hygiene instruction to a young patient in the waiting room.