|
Sealant
Day
 |
| Deidra
Foret, director of
Sealant Day, shows
a fourth grade
student the
correct way to
brush his teeth. |
Dental hygiene students
ending their second year
of training want all the
clinical experience they
can get before graduation.
The schoolchildren who
attend Cox Elementary have
dental problems but not
the means to access dental
care. Some might call this
meeting of needs a perfect
match. It has led to an
annual outreach event
called "Sealant Day",
directed by Diedra B.
Foret, RDH, MEd, CHES, who
is also the senior clinic
supervisor of the Division
of Dental Hygiene.
 |
| Dr.
Toby Cheramie
prepares to
examine Shanice
Dixon. |
According to Dr. Scott
Steckler, the school's
principal, the parents of
the children are workers
paid by the hour and
cannot afford to miss even
one hour of work. "They
want the best for their
children but struggle
constantly to do basic
things like pay the rent,"
he said. "After three
years of working with the
dental school on this
event, I can tell you the
parents really appreciate
this help for their
children. Many have seen a
dentist only once or twice
in their lives."
 |
| Dental
hygiene students
Ashley Dumas and
Lisa
Harrington-Armstrong
with Latham Mims. |
The 50 school children
are in the fourth grade.
They were chosen on the
basis of acute need, the
presence of their
permanent teeth and the
fact that they did not
have a dentist. The money
to pay for the bus that
transports the children to
the dental school is paid
for by the children
themselves through a
concession at the school
that sells items such as
pencils, erasers, ice
cream and yogurt.
 |
| Dental
hygiene students
Meredith Gautrau
and Sarah
Volentine enjoy
taking care of
Joshua Pagan. |
Each child received a
free dental screening and,
when appropriate, fluoride
treatments and sealants.
The services were provided
by a team of 30 dental
hygiene students plus ten
dentists and dental
students.
Tooth decay is the single
most common and
preventable childhood
disease. Each year, 1.6
million days of school are
missed because of dental
problems. Eighty percent
of all children in the
United States have
cavities.
 |
| Dental
assistant Ann Kay
demonstrates
flossing to Lenika
Walker. |
"We actively encourage
community outreach among
our students, faculty, and
staff," said Foret.
"'Sealant Day' is one
example of the many ways
we give back to the people
of the New Orleans area.
While the services we
provide may seem like
small gestures on our
part, we know that it may
mean worlds to the
children and their
families. That gives us a
reason to smile."
|
