Local Dentist Dr. Alyssa Hedstrom Talks Access To Health Care In Cook County

Host Cathy Quinn invited Dr. Alyssa Hedstrom of Grand Marais Family Dentistry to the AM Community Calendar program Friday, January 28. In this unedited interview, Dr. Hedstrom discusses the upcoming “Give Kids A Smile” program, a one-day event which provides free dental care to children in need. She also talks about the current state of dental health care access in Cook County and potential future collaborations between Cook County health care providers to work on increasing access to health care to community members in need.

Hedstrom: “The problem is we’ve got these great programs to help people, but they’re income-related. So, in Grand Marais there is a group of people that don’t have any help. So, they don’t have private insurance, they don’t have insurance through the clinic and that’s who we’re trying to figure out….So, they’re stuck in the middle and that’s what this program really aims to get at.”

The “Give Kids A Smile” program is a state-wide program promoted by the Minnesota Dental Association where local dentist, Dr. Alyssa Hedstrom and her staff will volunteer their time, services and resources, free of charge, to children of our community in recognition of Dental Health awareness month. The program is offered only one day statewide and will take place on Saturday, February 5th, 2011. Appointments can be made by calling Grand Marais Family Dentistry at 387-2774.

Photo courtesy of Spaarnestad Photo, via Nationaal Archief on wikimedia.