Success Stories
On The Road Again: A Tooth Taxi Update
by Mary Daly, Program Manager, Tooth Taxi
Update Number 22 | 6/08/09 | Metzger Elementary
Tigard High School houses a school based health center where the medical care is provided by the Virginia Garcia Clinic. The Virginia Garcia Clinic suggested the Tigard/Tualatin school district when we were looking for a spot to fill our final school week and it turned out to be an excellent location. Sue Porter school counselor and intern Elizabeth did an excellent job preparing for our visit with a short one week turn-around. On Monday we screened the entire school and identified students with high levels of decay that Sue and Elizabeth tracked the paperwork on so we could treat later in the week. The Metzger elementary school, tucked behind the Lincoln Towers just of Rt. 217 has a high percentage of students on the free and reduced lunch program. The school definitely receives our award for the most diverse student body – a school with a student population that encompasses 39 different languages.
We also partnered with the Junior and Senior hygiene students from Pacific University, whose dental health clinic is located in the “new” Health Professions Campus in Hillsboro along with the Virginia Garcia Clinic. Hygienists joined us for four days treating those students without decay, providing cleanings, sealants and education.
Hygiene student volunteers:
Jasmine Duenas, Leslie Combs, Diana Makhanov, Marisa Lam, Kristen Thomas, Liz Whiting, Tina Hecker, Heather Stringham, Amanda Leong.
Another volunteer was pre-dent student Brian Neish who was able to join us before he returns to LA for his senior year at Loyola Marymount University. Brian hopes to return to the Tooth Taxi with his Father (Dr. Scott Neish of Beaverton) and volunteer as a team.
Visitors:
Holly Spruance and Geri Francis from our sponsor, OEA Choice Trust
Photographer Elisa Saphier from Shuttertruth.com. Elisa pursues social justice and activism based photography, her dentist (Dr. Lorin Rice) told her about the Tooth Taxi and she agreed to shoot some pro-bono work that we can use in future publications. Elisa will be adding the Tooth Taxi shots to her website; Ty Melero (my fiancé) and Charlie LaTourette of the DFO.
Sue Porter provided lunch for us on Friday, Subway delivered in a Smart car. We also had some first grade students visit us Friday with their teacher to drop off some colorful thank you notes.
James and Geneva with patients and their Thank you Notes
Student quotes:
“Yeah, I got a new toothbrush!”
“Oh my gosh, it's like a house in there!”
Dr. Heringer asks “How come your such a good kid?” the student replies “bad kids aren’t good.”
Tigard stats:
- 348 students screened
- 55 students treated in the van
- $29,309 value of free dental services provided
Summary
Tooth Taxi,
September 2008 – June 12, 2009
- 3293 students screened
- 359students received oral hygiene education in the classroom
- 1189 students treated in the van
- $764,069 value of free dental services provided.
Next
week on the road:
Oregon Child Development Coalition (OCDC) in Cornelius.
Next weeks recap:
Oregon Child Development Coalition (OCDC) site in
Independence.
Regards, Mary
