Success Stories
On The Road Again: A Tooth Taxi Update
by Mary Daly, Program Manager, Tooth Taxi
Update Number 39 | 10/12/09 | Halfway
Some of you may remember Halfway during the dot-com boom in the late 90’s when the town officially changed its name to half.com. Halfway, town population 337 is located "halfway" between the communities of Pine and Cornucopia. Halfway is situated in the beautiful Pine Valley, 21 miles from the Idaho border (and much closer as the crow flies).
Local dentist Dr. Warren L. Whitnah and assistant Miriam Brown volunteered with the team on Tuesday. On Wednesday high school student Alesia Lawrence volunteered with us as her senior project is on Oral Care.
Volunteer high school student Alesia Lawrence
Pine Principle Mike Corley visits the Tooth Taxi
Visitors to the Tooth Taxi:
Dr. Whitnah’s daughter and office manager – Tymnera; Principal Mike Corely and the Hells Canyon Journal Newspaper (the newspaper does not publish online).
Treatment was completed in Halfway on Wednesday so the Tooth Taxi moved to Baker City and began screening students for next week’s treatment.
Fringe benefits of the job:
Wildlife sightings on the outskirts of Baker City: herd of elk and 32 white tail deer. On the road to Halfway the team witnessed 2 hunters poised to take down a buck as they drove the switchbacks on Rt. 86.
Halfway stats:
October 12- October 14, 2009
- 33 students screened
- 23 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom
- 25 students treated in the van
- $12,390 value of free dental services provided.
Summary:
Tooth Taxi, September 4, 2008- October 14, 2009
- 4,773 students screened
- 744 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom
- 1765 students treated in the van
- $1,125,865 value of free dental services provided.
Next week on the road:
A.C.Houghton Elementary in Irrigon
Regards, Mary
