When it comes to dental health, the facts are sobering, especially when it comes to children.

Dental decay is the number one chronic disease that affects children in the United States. Statistics have also shown that by the time a child completes high school about 80% of them will have tooth decay.

Tooth decay is serious business. The overall oral health is a critical factor for overall health and  wellness. Infections in a person's mouth can be linked to serious illnesses as well as impacting  the ability  to chew and swallow, an important component for meet nutritional needs. Besides the physical discomfort of tooth decay and disease, it can place a social burden and impact one's self-esteem.

Dental disease and decay can also be expensive. According to statistics, adults with oral disease miss nearly 164 million work hours each year. Studies have shown that children with oral disease miss over 51 million hours of school each year. Treating full blown oral disease regardless of age can be quite costly.

Finally, for pregnant women, hormonal changes can have significant impacts to the teeth and gums, making oral health care critical for mother and unborn child.

There's good news though. Dental decay is preventable with proper proactive care and early detection. It is recommended for optimum dental health, that adults and children should visit the dentist twice a year for preventative dental care. It is also recommended that children have their first check up at six months old. Despite the temporary status of baby teeth, these teeth are critical for eating, appearance, and good health. Techniques for cleaning a baby's gums and first teeth are important steps to good dental care and prevention as a child continues to develop and grow.

Community Health Care (CHC) is here to help.

CHC's Lakewood Dental Clinic offers pediatric and adult patients the support, care, and compassion to keep teeth and gums healthy. Conveniently located near JBLM, minutes from the Lakewood Towne Center, and convenient access by bus or car, the clinic provides a full range of dental care services for all ages.  Another like dental clinic, the Milgard Family Clinic, is also available in Tacoma.

Both clinics accept TriCare Dental plans and most other private insurances. For those without insurance or an insurance plan that prevents regular dental screenings due to not being able to afford high deductibles, there is a sliding fee scale based on annual income and family size.

All dentists at the clinic are American Board of General Dentistry (ABGD) certified, a prestigious distinction. All are specially trained to work with young children, special needs patients,  and pregnant women.

At the Lakewood location, there are 12 comfortable and well-appointed patient treatment areas, six labs, and two "quiet" rooms for patients who need special care in a relaxed environment.  Clinic décor balances a cheery yet comfortable atmosphere. While this is a busy clinic (there can be as many as 100 patients a day, which is approximately 18 to 22 patients per dentist), the setting is not rushed; staff offers kind, patient-focused, and supportive assistance to all patients.

The clinic operates from 6:30 a.m.to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with staff lunch hours from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Emergency visits are available on a walk-in basis.

As an added incentive for children under 18, for those who keep their CHC dental appointments, they are entered into a monthly drawing for Nintendo Wii. According to clinic staffers, this has had a huge and positive response from children and their families and really instills the importance of dental care and good habits.

The Lakewood and Milgard Dental Clinics are housed within a building that also features CHC family medical clinics, urgent care clinics, and pharmacies. There are also four additional clinic locations which offer medical and pharmacy services exclusively.

Besides one-stop-shop care, Community Health Care enjoys meeting the public through special events throughout the community. Questions are always welcome and encouraged from the public.

To learn more, please visit the Community Health Care site at http://www.commhealth.org/. You may reach the Lakewood CHC clinic by phone at (253) 589-7188 and the Milgard Family Dental Clinic at (253) 572-7002.