Children's Hospital of Orange County getting $150K to treat kids with dental infections

ORANGE, Calif. (KABC) -- Children's Hospital of Orange County is receiving $150,000 to help treat children who contracted serious infections at an Anaheim dental clinic.

The money comes from the county and was approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

County health care officials have documented 48 cases -- 15 confirmed and 33 probable -- ranging in age from 3 to 9.

All 48 received a pulpotomy, a dental procedure during which the infected pulp tissue of a tooth is treated/removed, at the Children's Dental Group of Anaheim between March 14 and Aug. 5. All have been hospitalized at some point

The money will be used for specialized antibiotics, along with paying for staffing to monitor the drugs and do follow ups.

The bacterial infections are believed to have come from the clinic's water system. The clinic has been ordered to replace the on-site water system following the outbreak.

If you have questions or you believe your child has a possible infection, you're urged to call the Orange County Health Care Agency Epidemiology Program at (714)834-8180.