All Aboard the Tooth Taxi
On The Road Again: A Tooth Taxi Update
by Mary Daly, Program Manager, Tooth Taxi
Update Number 63 | April 12, 2010 | Community Transitional School
With a last minute change in our schedule we returned to the Community Transitional School in NE Portland. Many of you will remember our visit there last September – we learned about the school through an article in The Oregonian. Ironically, the day before our 2nd visit, Sunday’s metro section in The Oregonian featured another article about the school: “For homeless kids, Portland school and its buses are constants in a world of chaos.” Click here to read the story and see photos of many of the students we screened and treated:
Volunteers:
With Dr. Heringer out most of the week in our Nation’s Capitol for the ADPAC (American Dental Association Political Action Committee) meeting we introduced several new volunteers to the Tooth Taxi mission.
We started our week screening in the multi-purpose cafeteria with Dr. Kurt Ferré a familiar face to Tooth Taxi staff and frequent volunteer. Screenings continued throughout the week usually at breakfast.
Volunteer hygienists Molly Morse and Lourinda Arnold provided cleanings and sealants from the portable chair station set up in the cafeteria. It is not often that hygienists get to work against a backdrop of colorful cheerio boxes!
Lourinda Arnold and patient
Dr. Barry Taylor, editor of the ODA’s publication Membership Matters had his first experience on the Tooth Taxi and looks forward to joining us again.
James, Dr. Taylor and patient
Dr. Susan Weinberg and her office team swarmed the Tooth Taxi for an afternoon. Dr. Weinberg, assistant Tanya Barton, Lourinda Arnold RDH, office staff Kim Quest and Meleen Gragert, joined by assistant intern Marina Roslyak.
Dr. Susan Weinberg and her office team
Rounding out the volunteer shifts were returnees: Dr. Athena Bettger and Dr. Peter Lax, and new volunteers: Dr. Dianne Applegate and Dr. Christine Vuong.
Returning volunteer: Dr. Peter Lax
new volunteer: Dr. Christine Vuong
new volunteer: Dr. Dianne Applegate
Visitors:
George Gerding visited; his daughter Jennipher Cochenour teaches PreK-1st grades at the school. The Community Transitional School is a unique program, it is great to be part of their community for a few days and see the support these students receive. Quoting Cheryl M. Bickle, Principal and Teacher "For our students, school is a refuge from the trauma and hardships of poverty and uncertainty—a place where they feel a sense of community and belonging. This is a place where they have room to learn, laugh with friends and build hope." Visit the school http://transitionalschool.org
From the kid gallery:
“It was nice being here” – patient to Dr. Barry Taylor
Dr. Heringer to patient: “You’ve got a silver crown in there.” Patient: “Is it real?, how’d you do that?”
Realities from the road:
This school is at the intersection of NE Cully and NE Killingsworth just off Lombard. An intersection that lacks zoning; home to the school, the Town Plaza housing the Sugar Shack Juice Bar, Video Super Store and La Estation- real Mexican food.
It was great to be scheduled locally last week as the Tooth Taxi needed some mechanical repairs that were necessary for heading back out on the road; a slight impact to our treatment schedule, but did allow us to return to the school on Monday to finish up before leaving for Maupin
Other notes:
Our assistant James is used to working with the little kids but he met a middle school student that was just about his size on this trip.
- 54% of students screened needed treatment.
- 46% needed no treatment.
- Tooth Taxi miles driven: 90
Portland – Community Transitional School Stats April 12 - April 19, 2010:
- 54 students screened
- 0 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom
- 35 students treated in the van
- $15,390 value of free dental services provided.
Summary
Tooth Taxi, September 4, 2008- April 19, 2010
- 6233 students screened
- 2278 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom
- 2414 students treated in the van
- $1,593,014 value of free dental services provided.