“Adults
who have extensive dental needs tend to be afraid of the dentist,”
surmises LaToya Smith Wilson, DMD.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>That is a common anxiety among, some adults.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>One way to remove the fear of going to the dentist among future adults is to expose children with early positive experiences at the dentist so they will incorporate it as part of their overall adult health care.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>What if you could turn fear into cheers – find that “happy place” where healthy teeth are happy teeth?
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>That is the premise of the Healthy Kids Express dental van at Saint Louis Children’s Hospital. And they do it free of charge. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“You could teach them earlier that being on the van is a safe, happy place and grow with the child… they would have happier visits, because they would have a higher dental IQ at home,” Wilson said. “Their home care would be improved, and they would be meeting us for less invasive things – like cleanings and sealants and pictures, and not root canals and crowns and things like that.” “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Children’s Hospital learned of the tremendous community need for pediatric dental services several years ago. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“We had done screenings and cleanings in the community and saw our fail rate, when we would screen and clean children’s teeth – it was really, really high,” said Greta Todd, Director of Child Health Advocacy and Outreach at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Fail rate describes when cavities or decay is found during dental screenings.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“We have social workers here who would try to refer those kids into the community to try and find dental homes and they had great difficulty finding dentists who would accept Medicaid and who were able to see the children in a timely way,” Todd said. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Therefore, the mobile unit goes where the children are – those whose family incomes, insurance or locations result in little or no access to the dental care otherwise. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Dr. Wilson made it very clear from the start if we go someplace – to a school – and we find a child with cavities – we will continue to take that child from beginning to end until that child is fully restored,” Todd said. “We won’t just fill two of the cavities and then say, ‘good luck,’ we’ll keep going back to the same site or will have the children come where we will park our bus.” “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Because the demand is so high, Todd said they respond to about one in five requests.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“We do evaluate sites based on need, meaning we look at the poverty levels based on their zip code; we’ll look at the number of students on free and reduced lunches at the school; we’ll look at their proximity to federally-qualified health centers; or Medicaid providers in their area,” Todd explained. “Because we can only respond to every one out of five requests for services because the demand is so high – we have to be targeted and go to the places with the greatest need.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The Healthy Express team gets parental consent in advance of the child’s visit on the bus.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Upon entering the dental van, about five kids at a time, there are playful, but purposeful introductions that lead to taking pictures of their teeth, animated movies about tooth heroes in a manner to dispel misconceptions about children’s teeth and to engage each child in their dental care. All this using kid-friendly language even the tooth fairy would love.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“’Tooth medicine’ instead of ‘shot’ and ‘tooth washer’ instead of ‘drill,’ and showing students all of the instruments so that there are no surprises,” Wilson explained. “And finally, doing the procedure but still giving students a since of control by allowing them to hold a handheld mirror to watch what we’re doing or offering the use of hand signals when they wish to take a break (and honoring that break if it’s requested through a raised hand).We make sure each child feels like they are part of the team and essential to care because they are.” “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The dental team works with children ages 2 to 18 to teach, to treat, to care.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Wilson
said a great
deal of their success comes from following the “tell, show, do,”
method of explaining dental procedures without using emotionally
charged language. Todd said the other extraordinary thing is that
Wilson and her assistant work with the kids to keep them calm
without the use of sedatives and typically without parents being
present.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“She and the dental assistant do this entirely through their good nature and the little games they play and the names they have [for the equipment],” Todd explained. “They entertain the children and it allows them to be able to do this extraordinary work for children that otherwise just can’t get done.” “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Children’s Hospital foundation funds three different mobile vans for children’s health – one for medical screenings for hearing, vision, height, weight, lead and anemia, one for asthma care and the third for dental screenings and treatment. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Requests come from school nurses, Head Start Centers, public schools, private schools, and churches in an approximately 25-mile radius of St. Louis.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“We prefer places where we have a connection with somebody who can help us get to the families a second time, because so many of these children will need a second, third and fourth appointment,” Todd said.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>For more information on Healthy Kids Express, contact Michelle Radomski, RN at 314-286-0928,
“color: black; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;”>mxr2978@bjc.org or visit www.stlouischildrens.org.
