Success Stories
On The Road Again: A Tooth Taxi Update
by Mary Daly, Program Manager, Tooth Taxi
Update Number 44 | November 16, 2009 | The Dalles
Last April Holly Spruance (OEA Choice Trust) and I staffed a booth at the Oregon Education Association (OEA) 2009 Representative Assembly where we met Nora Ferguson from The Dalles. Nora wasted no time in working with the Principal of Colonel Wright Elementary in The Dalles and submitting a Tooth Taxi site visit request. This is a school that was outstanding in their support of the Tooth Taxi team and mission. Strong support from our site partners helps us to treat more students, helps the school to gain a better understanding of our philosophy and helps us to run more efficiently. Nora also pulled in students from neighboring Chenowith Elementary. And who was Colonel Wright? Quoting from Wikipedia:
“The Colonel Wright was the first steamboat to operate on the Columbia River above The Dalles in the parts of the Oregon Country that later became the U.S. states of Oregon Washington and Idaho. She was the first steamboat to run on the Snake River. She was named after Colonel (later General) George Wright, an army commander in the Indian Wars in the Oregon Country in the 1850s. She was generally called the Wright during her operating career.”
Colonel Wright Elementary sits atop a hill with a great view of the Washington side of the Gorge and the River. Garden plots, greenhouses and murals on school buildings make for a lively campus.
Volunteers:Beryl Fletcher, ODA Director of Professional Affairs joined us on Monday for our hectic screening process. Beryl ushered students, helped complete fluoride cards, made up toothbrush kits and in the afternoon observed Dr. Heringer providing treatment in the van. Beryl also represented the ODA’s purpose to the newspaper reporter, school principal and Rep. Huffman.
Mary Davidson RDH, LAP & Tooth Taxi Patient
Mary Davidson RDH, LAP and Oregon Board of Dentistry member spent Monday assisting with the screening and in the afternoon provided cleanings and sealants for students in the van. Mary lives in The Dalles area and was a welcome and familiar face to several of the school staff.
Dr. Peter Lax and patient
Dr. Peter Lax, Portland pediatric dentist joined us for two days working out of the van front chair with a view of the Columbia River and hills – a little different from the typical office environment.
We were fortunate to have parent volunteer Denise Selves, to usher kids throughout the week. Denise and her family are new transplants from Idaho without dental insurance. We treated Denise’s two sons in the van.
State Representative John Huffman from The Dalles visited us on Monday, accompanied by local dentist and Tooth Taxi volunteer Dr. Mike Murat. Rep. Huffman asked the students: – do you know who I am? “The Dentist” Do you know what I do? He tells them about representing concerns and issues and one kid in the back says “more pizza”.
Dr. Murat, Nora Ferguson and John Huffman talking to students
The Dalles Chronicle newspaper also visited; the Tooth Taxi made the front page with a shot of Dr. Murat, Rep. Huffman and Dr. Heringer screening. http://www.thedalleschronicle.com
Cindy Miller, Assistant to the School Superintendent visited from the District Office.
Colonel Wright Principal Theresa Peters visited the van.
Theresa and volunteer Beryl Fletcher from the ODA
From the kid gallery:
The Tooth Taxi was parked next to the swing-set on the playground. When Dr. Heringer walked by a little girl on the swings said: “Thank you for helping the school – rock out.”
When I went by a little boy asked “Can you push me?” An older boy swinging asked “Can you push him?” “He’s a kindergartner.”
As the team headed to the Tooth Taxi Tuesday morning the playground monitor opened the gate for us and said “I really like those timer things you gave the kids.”
Dr. Heringer: “Do you want a drink?” patient: “Is it water?”
When I took a little girl back to the school, “How’d he pull my tooth out w/out me feeling it?”
Dr. Lax asked the patient “How many times a day you brush your teeth? “I haven’t brushed my teeth for 2 weeks.”
Realities from the road:
The little girl we treated whose picture was in the paper told us it’s her first time to the dentist as the family can’t afford it; her brother is having kidney treatment and he has to go to Portland to the hospital.
A noteworthy clip from Beryl Fletcher’s thank you note to the Tooth Taxi team:
Lastly, two comments I received during the course of the day, truly speaks to the lack of education regarding oral health. The first comment was from the reporter asking me "Do cavities really affect children?"
The second comments came from one of the children who had just received care - "What is a cavity? My friend's mom has teeth she can take out."
Other notes:
We've started tracking the % of students screened who need treatment (visible signs of decay/infection) and those who do not need treatment (no visible signs of decay/infection)* . With the population screened from these two schools it was split right down the middle - 50% / 50%.
* Those classified as not needing treatment are the ones who benefit from cleanings and sealants from our EFDA Assistant and volunteer hygienists.
At the end of our visit Dr. Heringer took the reports in to the school secretary and she teared up for all that we had done.
Fringe benefits of the job:
The team was invited to the school’s Pot luck for staff and teachers. A refreshing alternative to our daily sandwiches!
Beryl Fletcher’s early holiday baking!
The Dalles stats:
November 16 - 20, 2009
- 142 students screened
- 0 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom
- 51 students treated in the van
- $39,040 value of free dental services provided.
Summary:
Tooth Taxi, September 4, 2008- November 20, 2009
- 5247 students screened
- 1259 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom
- 2004 students treated in the van
- $1,268,862 value of free dental services provided.
Next week on the road:
William Walker Elementary School in Beaverton
Regards, Mary