LAS VEGAS - More than half of Clark County students don't have the means to go to the dentist. With a struggling economy, those students are less likely to seek treatment. That's why more public student health clinics are coming to them.
One of the newest public pediatric health clinics opens Thursday at Elaine Wynn Elementary School.
The Foundation for Positively Kids, commercial real estate group NAIOP, the United Way, MGM Resorts Foundation and Wal-Mart Nevada State Giving worked together to bring the pediatric health clinic to Wynn Elementary.
The facility features two health care professionals and three to four rooms for dental and health care. It's expected to serve at least 20 kids daily.
It's the latest student health clinic to open in Clark County in recent years.
The nonprofit Future Smiles operates a dental office on the Clark High School campus. Hygienists there say they have served kids as old as 15 who have never been to the dentist.
They have performed more than 4,500 sealants this year and say their services are meant for preventive care and teaching these kids the importance of brushing and flossing.
"When a parent has to make a decision between putting food on the table or providing something as simple as a toothbrush, it's going to be putting food on the table," said Cathy Carreiro with Future Smiles. "So, what we offer is an opportunity to see these children and provide a dental home."
If student patients need more advanced dental care, the hygienists can refer them to dentists.
The nurses in the Wynn clinic, meanwhile, will be able to administer vaccines, conduct check-ups, and treat students for minor ailments.
The facility is scheduled to open Thursday at 11 a.m.
