Success Stories
On The Road Again: A Tooth Taxi Update
by Mary Daly, Program Manager, Tooth Taxi
Update Number 47 | December 07, 2009 | Milwaukie
Salem-Keizer was the State’s first chapter of Stand for Children when the organization was founded in 1999. Their Dental Health Solutions for Children including the successful Neighborhood Dentist Program has reached thousands of children allowing them to go to school pain-free and ready to learn. The North Clackamas Stand for Children dental health subcommittee was modeled after Salem’s success. Pauline McGuire with North Clackamas’ Stand for Children contacted us last year about providing dental care for children in the district; which brought the Tooth Taxi to Lot Whitcomb Elementary School in Milwaukie during a week of unusually dry December weather with strong winds and bitter cold temperatures.
Volunteers:
Dr. Noel Larsen loaned assistant Corrine Robideau to work on the Tooth Taxi to assist returning volunteer dentist Dr. Kurt Ferré.
Dr. Kyle Van of Hillsboro another returning volunteer dentist joined us with assistant Regina Roman.
Dr. Dean Gregson of Milwaukie who has been involved with dental screenings with the students at Lot Whitcomb joined us for his first stint on the Tooth Taxi. Allison Daniels assisted Dr. Gregson in the morning and then Kristen Holen assisted in the afternoon. Debbie Davis who worked for Dr. Heringer many years ago came up from Salem on Friday to assist Dr. Heringer. Debbie works at Dr. Nadia Winstead’s office in Salem and also recruited Kristen Holen for the day.
The Friday “clinical” team (Dr. Heringer, Kristen Holen, James Olcott, Debbie Davis, Dr. Dean Gregson).
We had two volunteers from the ODA: Anna Juan, Coordinator Meetings & Membership and Christina Swartz, Coordinator Public & Professional Education.
Visitors:
Nancy Carey, Program Manager for MultiCare Dental, a division of Multnomah County’s Dental Managed Care Plan; Nancy is new to MultiCare and interested in ways that the DCO’s could work in collaboration with the Tooth Taxi.
From the kid gallery:
Dr. Heringer: “How come you’re such a good kid?” patient: “I don’t know, maybe because I’ve never been here before.”
“Am I going to have a gold tooth?” Little Boy in the dental chair cheering for the Tom & Jerry cartoon.
James took a student back to class and while talking to the teacher about the treatment the students gathered around their classmate.
One of the group was a little boy who was treated in the Tooth Taxi the day before, he was wearing the same shirt with his crumpled Tooth Taxi and numb stickers.
Other notes:
61% of students screened needed treatment.
39% did not need treatment.
We gave out two library book packs: one to school librarian Mrs. Cassady and one to Pauline McGuire with Stand For Children. Stand For Children will use theirs when they travel to different schools with their oral hygiene presentations.
The school cafeteria provided lunches for the team during the week and Stand For Children provided lunch on Friday.
Milwaukie stats:
December 7-11, 2009
- 94 students screened
- 0 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom
- 35 students treated in the van
- $32,187 value of free dental services provided.
Summary:
Tooth Taxi, September 4, 2008- December 11, 2009
- 5416 students screened
- 1259 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom
- 2087 students treated in the van
- $1,341,785 value of free dental services provided.
Next week on the road: Schools are out for the Holidays. James will take the van to White Bird Clinic in Eugene for two days where they will use it to provide emergent care while their clinic is being renovated with stimulus funds.
Next weeks recap: Glenfair Elementary School, NE Portland, Reynolds School District
Regards, Mary