Officials mark opening of UNLV dental clinic that serves children with cleft lips, palates
Since the coronavirus pandemic, according to James Mah, the dean of UNLV’s School of Dental Medicine, it’s been difficult for families with children born with cleft palates and other craniofacial abnormalities to find care in Southern Nevada.
That is, until this month when the school opened its new Advanced Needs Dental Clinic, which was renovated onto an existing dental school building at UNLV.
The new space, at 1700 West Charleston Boulevard, replaced a previous clinic that was shuttered during the pandemic because of lack of state funding.
Because of federal grant money and a bill — Senate Bill 280 — passed in the Nevada Legislature this year that earmarked $1.3 million for the project, resources were put in place to fund the revamped clinic and staff.
This month, the first patients were treated. On Wednesday, Mah and dozens of others were on hand for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at the school.
Before the previous clinic closed, there was a waiting list of hundreds of families in Nevada with children who needed cleft palate and craniofacial care. Mah said the school is now playing catch up as it tries to get word out that care is once again available at greatly reduced or no cost.
Mah said research shows that about 1 in every 1,000 babies will enter the world with cleft lips and palates.
“Babies continued to be born as life went on after the pandemic,” Mah said. “We know some people have moved out of state since then, but we’re very busy reaching out and trying to make contact. We want to find out if people are still interested in coming here for their care.”
Before the clinic opened, Mah said, Nevada was one of two U.S. states that didn’t have a formal cleft palate and craniofacial team of professionals. Alaska is the other.
According to the Mayo Clinic, cleft lip and cleft palate represent openings or splits in the upper lip, the roof of the mouth, also known as the palate, or both.
They occur when an unborn baby’s face and mouth are developing and the upper lip and palate don’t close fully. A birth defect, often the cause is unknown, but the condition can put a strain — emotionally and financially — on families, Mah said.
“We hear the stories,” he said. “We know many families have had to drive to Utah or Los Angeles for care in recent years. It’s wonderful to now not only have a facility, but to also be able offset a huge part of the cost for families.”
The clinic is also set up to offer dental care to the elderly, those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, sensory needs, and patients with other special needs, UNLV officials said.
Sen. Rochelle Nguyen, D-Las Vegas, who co-sponsored the bill, said the clinic represents “hope for people in our community.”
“Providing comprehensive care, it takes a village,” Nguyen said. “Senate Bill 280 passed with broad support because we built it together — providers, patient advocates, legislators, higher education leaders, and fiscal analysts. We were all focused on outcomes, access and accountability and that’s how we should do all policy in Nevada.”
Mah said he encourages anyone who believes they may have a family member or friend who could qualify for services at the clinic to reach out to the School of Dental Medicine.
Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.
