Six-year-old Christina Romero, indicates where she had a toothache so severe, she had a fever and it caused her to miss school, with her mother, Mari Maldonado, left. Almost two decades ago, the state made Sacramento County the testing ground for a new model of delivering dental care to poor children. Officials envisioned a managed care system that would control costs and improve childrenÕs ability to see a dentist. Today that model persists Ð but state data show that the county has consistently produced one of California Õs worst records for care. Critics Ð including local dentists, county officials, school nurses and family members Ð contend that SacramentoÕs special model of care forces many children to wait months or even years before receiving needed treatment, even if they have broken or rotting teeth, or are in so much pain they canÕt chew.