#49 Woodburn

It’s all starts with prevention and when screening in a high school health room that may include condoms side-by-side with oral hygiene kits (see att. photo). We spent a cold week at Woodburn High School with fabulous sunrises. We found students that have a lot of need for dental care, several students without restorative needs have dire needs for hygiene services. We’ll return to the high school the first week of January and have several volunteer hygienists signed up to join us.

We saw two senior girls on the van; it was the first time to the dentist for one and her experience left her quite interested in dentistry and wants to research it for her senior project. The second student had been to the dentist before but told us that she probably wouldn’t have gotten dental care for a couple more years if we hadn’t been here.

A kindergartner screened by Dr. McLeod brought in her headlamp to school so she could wear it as Dr. McLeod did.  Kids are such great imitators!

Principal Dixon from the Arts & Communication Academy was in the spirit for holiday baking! She shared some treats with the Tooth Taxi team.

A terrific way to wrap up the year, a freshman student who was seen by both Dr. McLeod and Dr. Streiff had all her treatment complete. She came to the van Friday afternoon with a custom Christmas card with heartfelt thanks. There is no better reward for our jobs and no better way to wrap up an eventful year.

Volunteers:

Dental Assistant Megan Geser, a frequent volunteer when not working at her Father’s practice (Dr. Dennis Reed).

Dr. David Streiff learned about the Tooth Taxi last year when he met staff assistant Chanel Kim on a dental mission trip to Guatemala where they focused on prevention and education. They will be returning to the same village in Feb. 2012.

Visitors:

Lori Woodard, ODS Sales and Account Services.

Realities from the road:

The school has an on-site day care for teen parents. Chanel met with the high-school teen parents: 8 infants with mostly their mothers and a couple fathers. There was also one teacher with his two sons. The students were very responsive and asked lots of great questions. They were not shy to say that they haven’t ever tried brushing their baby’s teeth, and asked for assistance and tips. Great kids!

Other notes:

51% of students screened needed treatment
49% needed no treatment.

Stats:

Woodburn High School December 12-16, 2011:

• 61 students screened
• 9 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom
• 26 students treated in the van
• $16,863 value of free dental services provided.

Summary

Tooth Taxi, September 4, 2008 – December 16, 2011

• 10,659 students screened
• 9,414 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom
• 4,393 students treated in the van
• $2,737,082 value of free dental services provided.