ORANGE, Calif., June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Citing low reimbursement rates, Western Dental announced today that it will stop taking new patients with Denti-Cal coverage at 13 more of its California offices beginning June 1, 2015, and that it will close one office in San Francisco.

The company previously announced it would not be accepting Denti-Cal patients at three of its new offices in the state.

“For more than 50 years, Western Dental has been able to serve all Californians, including those most in need and covered by the state Denti-Cal program,” said Simon Castellanos, CEO and President of Western Dental. “However, the extremely low funding and reimbursement levels for the state program have finally proven impossible to bear.” Western Dental is the state’s largest provider of dental care services to low-income families. Mr. Castellanos reiterated, “We want to continue being a strong partner with the state and we are hopeful that the Governor and Legislature will pass a budget that will enable more providers like us to maintain the oral care that so many California children and adults need.”

Beginning June 1, the company will stop accepting new Denti-Cal patients at 13 offices. At this time, returning patients with Denti-Cal will be able to continue care in their existing office.

The company also announced that it’s planning to close its Market Street office in San Francisco at the end of June and is in the process of closing one additional office later this year.

Denti-Cal is the dental program for Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. Reimbursement rates for dental procedures have not been adjusted for inflation since 2001 and were cut another 10 percent in 2013. Reimbursement rates have plummeted to about one-third of the 2011 national average.

ABOUT WESTERN DENTAL:
One of the nation’s largest dental providers, Western Dental (with its affiliate, Brident Dental & Orthodontics) is the leader in accessible, affordable oral health care, serving nearly one million patients annually in over 200 affiliated clinics throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. Informed by the latest research, Western Dental is committed to delivering high-quality general, orthodontic and specialty dental services in state-of-the art facilities. All of Western Dental’s services are backed by a unique quality assurance system, which electronically monitors all patient visits, treatments, dental staff and clinical performance to enable high-quality care. For more information please visit WesternDental.com and Brident.com.

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CHICAGO, June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — This Saturday, June 6, 2015, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, along with the Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition, presents ¡Vive tu vida! Get Up! Get Moving!® Chicago. The event promotes Hispanic family physical activity and good nutrition for better health and wellness for people of all ages and all sizes. The event this weekend is FREE and open to the public.

• What: Health screenings, exercise tips, tennis lessons and family fun!
• Where: McKinley Park Field House
  2210 West Pershing Road
  Chicago, IL 60609
• When: Saturday, June 6 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
• Cost: FREE!

“At ¡Vive tu vida! Get Up! Get Moving!® thousands of Chicagoans have received free health screenings, joined an exercise group or sports team, or learned about health services available to them,” said Esther Sciammarella, Executive Director of Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition. “This is a great opportunity to learn more about heart health under the initiative between the Chicago Department of Public Health and GE Foundation through the Keep Your Heart Healthy program. By promoting exercise and healthy eating in a fun and entertaining way, ¡Vive tu Vida! Get up! Get Moving!® is working to change the lives of Latinos in Chicago and around the country,” stated Alderman George A. Cardenas, Chairman of the Committee on Health and Environmental Protection and co-organizer of the event.

Made possible by an extraordinary group of partners and volunteers, the Chicago event will feature:

• Health Screenings and Information: including blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and kidney disease checks, vision and dental exams and Medicare and Medicaid enrollment information
• Fitness: exercise demonstrations and fitness walk
• Sports: Tennis clinics provided by the U.S. Tennis Association and youth soccer tournament “Copa Vive tu Vida” promoted by Univision!
• Books: All kids attending the event will receive free books from Bernie’s Book Bank
• Family fun: Mexican folkloric dance performances, and raffle with prizes for the whole family!

“Now in its ninth year, ¡Vive tu vida! Get Up! Get Moving! is the nation’s largest annual event series promoting healthy lifestyles in Hispanic communities,” said Dr. Jane L. Delgado, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, the nation’s leading Hispanic health advocacy group. “Driven by a ‘can-do’ volunteer spirit, ¡Vive tu vida! Get Up! Get Moving! is working neighbor-to-neighbor to support healthier environments and to realize the collective vision of our communities for a stronger and healthier nation.”

“We are proud to support ¡Vive tu vida! Get Up! Get Moving!® events across the country,” said Robert Forrester, president of Newman’s Own Foundation. “The Foundation places a high priority on improving nutrition access, and National Alliance for Hispanic Health is working at the community level to advance the health and wellness of individuals.”

About the Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition
The Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition was established in June 1991 as a multi-disciplinary membership organization to address the need to promote health and prevent disease among Chicago’s Hispanic community. The Coalition’s mission is to promote healthy behavior and prevent chronic disease. CHHC advances health education and disease prevention in the Hispanic community through coalition building and direct action. It seeks to empower the Hispanic community by providing a centralized forum for capacity building, coordination, policy and networking among health and human service providers and the communities they serve. For more information visit www.chicagohispanichealthcoalition.org/

About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health
The Alliance is the nation’s foremost science-based source of information and trusted advocate for the health of Hispanics in the United States with a mission to achieve the best health outcomes for all. For more information, visit www.hispanichealth.org, call the Alliance’s Su Familia Helpline at 1-866-783-2645, or find us on Facebook at healthyamericas or on Twitter at health4americas.

About ¡Vive tu vida! Get Up! Get Moving!® 
In its ninth year, ¡Vive tu vida! Get Up! Get Moving!® is the premier national family physical activity and healthy lifestyle event series in the nation. The events are driven by local needs, organized by a leading Hispanic organization in the community, and supported by long-term national partners along with over 400 community partners and 1,000 volunteers annually. In 2015, ¡Vive tu vida! Get Up! Get Moving!® events will be held in Los Lunas, NM; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Kennett Square, PA; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Phoenix, AZ; Brownsville, TX; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and, San Diego, CA. The National Alliance for Hispanic Health and the Healthy Americas Foundation present the series, along with its national supporter, Newman’s Own Foundation; national media partner, Univision Communication’s Salud es vida Entérate!; and national partners, the Embassy of Mexico and the United States Tennis Association. For more information call 1-866-783-2645 or visit http://www.getupgetmoving.org or find us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/healthyamericas

MORRISVILLE, N.C., June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Summer camp is one of the most important times to be vigilant about head lice and take measures to protect your kids. Many summer camps, especially those with overnight stays, perform head lice checks on registration day. It can be frustrating and costly for a child to be delayed from orientation for treatment – or worse, sent home.

Second only to the common cold, head lice infestation remains the most frequent health issue facing children ages 3 to 11, with up to 12 million cases reported in the U.S. each year according to the CDC. Situations of close proximity and shared belongings increase the chances that your child may be exposed to head lice.  The good news is that advanced scientific research has produced innovative solutions that deliver efficacy through safe, non-toxic ingredients to not only treat lice but protect against possible infestation where there is a likelihood of exposure.  

Before sending kids off to camp, parents should check their children for head lice. Lice can be present before there are any symptoms such as itching. Exponential growth of an infestation and the transmission of lice to others can occur before there are any telltale signs.

A switch to a protective lice shampoo in place of regular daily shampoo before, during and after camp is a simple step to gain peace of mind and a powerful tool to stop a potential infestation.  Parents should pack a protective shampoo for their children to use while at camp and for at least 10 – 14 days following camp to ensure any hitchhikers that come home are eliminated before an infestation can grow.

Brooke Coffelt, PharmD, a practicing pharmacist in Mississippi has treated lice infestations in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. “In situations where a child has been exposed to lice, I recommend to parents that they use the protective shampoo to kill any stray lice the child may have contracted for peace of mind.”

“Most lice products available to consumers are treatments which are not recommended for use unless you know your child has lice,” said Coffelt. “Parents want to know how they can be more proactive in protecting their children and what to do when they hear a fellow camper or classmate has lice. Vamousse Lice Protection daily shampoo is a breakthrough because it gives parents the ability to halt any lice their child may be exposed to and protect against an infestation by using only safe, pesticide-free ingredients. As a daily shampoo, it’s a simple swap in their normal routine.”

Vamousse Lice Protection shampoo, made in the U.S., comes in an 8 fluid ounce (236mL) bottle and is available nationwide at Walmart and online at Amazon.com and Drugstore.com.

If you discover your child has lice before heading to camp, make sure to treat them in advance. When choosing a product, consider the speed and reliability of the treatment. Many lice treatments on the market rely on synthetic pesticides like pyrethrin and permethrin to kill lice, and studies have shown that lice have become increasingly resistant to these compounds.  

Vamousse Lice Treatment, recommended for active infestations, kills lice and eggs with a single 15-minute application, including resistant lice because it works differently, killing lice by dehydration rather than synthetic chemicals.  No follow-up treatment is required since lice and eggs are killed during the first application, making lice elimination easier for families. Vamousse Lice Treatment is available nationwide at Walmart, CVS and Walgreens, and online at Amazon.com and Drugstore.com. For further information on lice identification, pesticide resistance, and tips on battling lice visit www.vamousselice.com.

About TyraTech
Established in 2004, TyraTech, Inc. (AIM: TYR and TYRU) is a life sciences company focusing on nature-derived insect and parasite control products that are as effective as traditional chemical options while providing a new level of safety for people, animals and the environment. TyraTech’s Nature’s Technology^® leverages its patented scientific platform to provide a full range of biocides, head lice and insect repellent solutions.