With the goal of providing additional dental clinics for underprivileged children, The Children’s Dental Health Organization hosted its first annual Masquerade Ball at the Valencia Country Club on February 8. “We have greatly increased the number of dental clinics from one a year to two a year and we’re planning to have another fundraiser to pay for additional clinic,” explained Santa Clarita City Manager Ken Pulskamp, who co-founded the program 12 years ago
Pulskamp was inspired to create the program after playing Santa for an event at the Santa Clarita Community Center.
“I was pretty surprised to see that many of the children had noticeably decayed teeth, so I gathered some people together an we set up the first dental clinic.”
Pulskamp explained that children from low-income families who qualify for the school lunch programs also qualify for the biannual dental clinics, which are held at various sites in the valley. Added Pulskamp, “Once we get the children to the dentist and fix their teeth, there is a noticeable change in their personality from being bashful to more open and confident.”
For more information about the Children’s Dental Health Organization call 661-296-8515.