Herminia, surrounded by her three children sporting yellow balloons, hopes the helium-filled toys are a brightly colored symbol for less pain in their lives.

Because they do not have dental insurance, she and her family have had to endure dental pain — especially the 7-year-old, who opens his mouth to demonstrate he's clearly in need of attention.

The family was among dozens who showed up Wednesday to apply for free dental insurance offered to children under 18. By day's end, 130 children had applied for the assistance.

While Herminia won't be covered, she is hopeful she can get dental treatment for her children, who have gone so long without care that they have toothaches.

Care is being offered by the Foundation for Children, sponsored and administered by BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and by Regence Blue Shield of Idaho. The program serves 1,000 children in every part of Utah and 250 additional children in Idaho.

Children can be enrolled for one year; about 300 children ended their year earlier this month.

New enrollees were signed on at the Horizonte Center near 1300 South and Main Street, where Kevin Bischoff, vice president of Blue Cross/Blue Shield, was hopeful they would fill all of the open slots.

Eligible children, whose parents must not be eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, receive a complete dental treatment plan, including fillings, cleanings, sealants, fluoride treatments, extractions and stainless steel crowns.

"We looked at the Utah market for a year and found that the No. 1 health problem for kids is dental care," Bischoff said. "The idea is so bring children up to complete oral health and then do regular maintenance afterward."

Because employer dental insurance plans are too expensive for some working parents, their children go without.

"We have seen children who have needed nine crowns, oral surgery," he said. "There have been some kids in very serious trouble."

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Bischoff said there are 70,000 children across Utah who do not have any health insurance coverage at all.

The signups were held as part of "Cover the Uninsured Week," which, aside from exposing people to resources out there, is also designed to alert the public of the problems faced by the uninsured.

For more information about the foundation, call 972-KIDS.


E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com

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