An important investment

Tom Lewis remembers countless stories from the approximately 20 years that he’s provided free dental care at volunteer clinics. Take, for instance, the 50-year-old woman who told him she had never been to a dentist and cried with gratitude after receiving a filling. Or the single father and contractor who needed two teeth pulled.

The man told him, “I work really hard for my kids. And my kids have great teeth. And I can afford, on my income, to pay the rent, feed them and pay for [their] care. I cannot afford me.”

A retired dentist, Lewis is part of California CareForce, a Roseville-based volunteer organization of medical professionals, citizens and community leaders. It was formed with the goal of serving under- and uninsured Americans, many of whom forgo medical, dental and vision care because they cannot afford it. Since 2011, over 15,000 CareForce volunteers have provided health services to more than 32,000 individuals at two- to three-day clinics, delivering $14 million worth of care for free.

On Aug. 3-4, CareForce will host its first clinic in Chico (see infobox), aiming to bring in 300 volunteer health care professionals from across California to serve about 2,000 people.

The clinic will provide services including dental cleanings, X-rays, fillings and extractions; vision exams, eye health checks and prescription glasses; and general medical exams, blood pressure and HIV testing, diabetes screening and counseling, flu shots and immunizations, and chiropractic and acupuncture services. There also will be representatives from local health and social services agencies on-site for referrals, and health education resources.

Ken MacKell, assistant director of the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services, said the division is aiming to reach folks who are traditionally harder to serve, like homeless individuals, and help the uninsured sign up for Medi-Cal.

No proof of insurance, employment, income, residency, immigration status or identification is required. Priority will be given to Camp Fire survivors and veterans.

Lewis says he was raised by a tight-knit family that taught him to value generosity: his father, for example, provided financial assistance to approximately five children in his community to help them get to college.

“I’ve had a really wonderful life, [and] I’ve been able to make more than adequate income,” he said. “I feel like it’s really my moral obligation to give back.”

Though the number of Californians with health insurance has increased more than 90 percent under the Affordable Care Act, there are still over 3 million statewide who are uninsured, according to a 2016 report by a team of researchers from UC Berkeley and UCLA. About 73,000 are uninsured in Northern California (not including the Sacramento Valley).

Emerald Carroll, CareForce’s volunteer and outreach coordinator, said the Chico area already was on the organization’s radar because of its need for health care services. Lewis, who has been volunteering with the organization for years, was “the driving force” behind making the clinic happen. He became part of the board of directors and the host committee chairman for the clinic, helping it meet a $150,000 fundraising target, secure a location and recruit volunteers. Local sponsors include the Northern California Dental Society, Northern Valley Community Foundation and Chico Adventist.

“Especially because of the fires that happened [last year], we know that a lot of the providers are impacted or have very long wait times to see people,” Carroll said. “Although maybe some people do have certain insurance [coverage], the wait is just too long. You can only go so long with a cavity before it gets worse and starts affecting other areas of your health.”

Lewis said he anticipates seeing folks from the Ridge who were lacking care before the fire, as well as those who just haven’t been able to establish new doctors in the impacted Butte County market.

“We’ll take out hundreds, and perhaps over 1,000 teeth,” Lewis said. “These are just teeth that we call ‘bombed out.’ They’re not restorable and they’re infected. Frequently, people are in pain.”

Carroll said CareForce plans to bring the clinic back again next year “so we can capture more people who didn’t get the chance to see us the first time around.”

Lewis has been aware of the need for a while, attempting to host his own free clinic years ago. He hopes Chico will become a frequent location for such services. Whenever he recalls a moment, like the one he shared with the contractor who went without care to provide for his kids, he calls them the best paychecks of his career.

“When you really made a difference in somebody’s life and they look at you with such gratitude and appreciation, it’s like, I just did what I know how to do,” he said. “It made a difference in this guy’s life. He didn’t have toothache pain anymore.”