Smiles amid sadness at free Sonoma dental clinic

A semi-trailer housing a free dental clinic for kids arrived in Sonoma Valley last month for a much-anticipated visit.

Some 120 students ages 6 to 15 received dental treatments their families otherwise could not afford, from cleanings and cavity-fighting sealants to root canals and extractions.

While the annual three-day Christina’s Smile mobile dental clinic celebrated its 25th year providing services to low-income families, the occasion was bittersweet because its founder died before the clinic’s milestone anniversary.

Dr. Richard Garza, the dentist from Austin, Tex., who wanted to make a difference for the working poor, died last November at 66. The nonprofit clinic he established continues his mission, but Garza’s death was observed by the many volunteers who make it possible.

At Altimira Middle School, where the dental clinic operates in the staff parking lot. Principal Will Deeths was among those honoring the late dentist. Students, including former patients, planted a Gravenstein apple tree in Garza’s memory, a sapling grafted in the campus horticulture class.

“It was just to say thank you to Dr. Garza for the meaningful work he’s done in our valley,” Deeths said. “He was such a soft-spoken man. You would never have guessed he was the guy behind the program. He was as humble as they come.”

The mobile clinic visits communities across the country, following the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. Garza was an avid golfer who rallied the support of the pro golfing community.

Although the local golf tournament moved out of the valley, Christina’s Smile continues offering services at Altimira, a central location for patients who travel from as far away as Sacramento, Redding and Chico.

Volunteer dentists and assistants work from three stations within the clinic, providing about $95,000 in dental services at each of the clinic’s 10 stops. Nearly 100 volunteers from around the Bay Area provided services last month at Altimira.

Diane Garza said her late husband was passionate in his mission. Since its founding, ?the clinic has provided $22 million in dental care to some 48,000 students, most nominated for treatment by their schools or migrant education programs.

Some have never seen a dentist before.

“These are kids who just don’t have access to dental care. Teeth are the last thing taken care of because it’s cost prohibitive,” Garza said.

Contact Sonoma Valley Towns correspondent Dianne Reber Hart at sonomatowns?@gmail.com.