Collaboration results in care for more than 200 in Milwaukee region
Milwaukee鈥擣rom the Madre Angela Dental Clinic and Marquette University downtown to Children’s Hospital, Milwaukee Area Technical College and private practices in between, Greater Milwaukee Dental Association volunteers fanned out Feb. 1 in celebration of the 6th Give Kids A Smile Day.
By day’s end, it was anticipated that more than 200 children across this region of southeastern Wisconsin would receive free comprehensive dental care.
“I cannot stress enough what a wonderful event this is,” said Dr. Lynn Lepak-McSorley, the GKAS program chair for the Greater Milwaukee Dental Association. “Working with dental students and volunteers and community agencies to help these patients is incredibly rewarding.”
The impressive collaboration involves Milwaukee Public Schools, Head Start, Milwaukee County WIC Program and the Aurora Health Centers which advertised GKAS (in Spanish and English) to find the patients most in need.
That outreach resulted in a massive prescreening event Jan. 19 at the Marquette University School of Dentistry. Subzero windchills didn’t stop hundreds of families from waiting in line for dental screenings, treatment and some urgent care. Over 300 children were seen and had their charts readied for follow-up treatment on Give Kids A Smile Day.
“It takes a lot of logistical planning to determine where to assign patients for treatment,” said Dr. Lepak-McSorley who is seeing patients at Marquette University Feb. 1.
“We are able to have a lot of dentists here at Marquette, which means we can see more complex cases,” she said. “But it’s always incredibly challenging. For instance, today we had one child who needed 5 extractions and 5 pulpotomies.”
Dr. Terence Geary of Brookfield, Wis., volunteers along with his dental assistants to work at Marquette on Give Kids A Smile Day, while his sister and practice partner works at the Madre Angela Dental Clinic. He’s just seen 4-year-old Jesus, who has occlusal decay in all primary molars, and only one quadrant could be done today. He’ll be referred to the Marquette dental school for follow-up treatment.
Across the aisle, Dr. John R. Moser, Wisconsin Dental Association treasurer, has just finished treating Juanita, age 8.
“She had a huge decayed molar鈥攁lmost down to the pulp,” said Dr. Moser. “I did a bonded restoration, so I think we dodged a bullet. She gets to keep the tooth and probably won’t need a root canal. She also needed two other restorations.”
Between seeing patients and managing the clinic, Dr. Cesar Gonzalez stops to talk about the value of the care being provided, and not in monetary terms.
“I think the biggest thing to come out of this is the satisfaction that the students get from giving back,” said Dr. Gonzalez, chair of pediatric dentistry at Marquette dental school. “For some, they haven’t had exposure to these communities and it’s quite eye-opening. They leave here with the satisfaction of knowing they did something for someone not as fortunate as they are.”
Children’s Hospital further north is also providing restorative care today, and the newest addition to Milwaukee’s Give Kids A Smile is the Milwaukee Area Technical College, where staff dentists and hygiene program students are doing prophylaxis and sealants.
The downtown Madre Angela Dental Clinic, a provider of dental care for people without insurance, is also focused on restorative care. Greater Milwaukee Dental Association members volunteer to provide care on a regular basis at the clinic, which is funded by a variety of local and national foundations and corporate donors and sponsored by the Columbia St. Marys health organization.
The Madre Angela clinic also administers Smart Smiles, a comprehensive school-based oral health program which last year became the state’s largest school-based health program. The program visits schools where often 85 percent of the students are on the federally funded lunch program performing dental screenings and providing treatment. This year, Smart Smiles will reach 2,400 children.
But today at Madre Angela is Give Kids A Smile, which means staff dentist Mary Cimrmancic is administering care to children at the clinic.
Seven-year-old José is one of the first in her chair. With a wide grin he nods when asked if he likes coming to the dentist. “They always give me dental floss,” he said. “I don’t have any dental floss at home.”
Dr. Cimrmancic said he needs a composite restoration and X-rays. His mother asks how he can be a regular patient at the clinic.
“This clinic is for people with no resources,” Dr. Cimrmancic later tells the ADA News. Patients are required to show their income, and many times still wait up to a year for care.
“We see levels of disease in schoolchildren here that you don’t typically see in private practice,” she added. “We see decay, gum disease below the gum line, infections. Seeing this in such young patients really gets your attention.”
Dr. Michael Shimeta, a GMDA volunteer working here today, has 4-year-old Luis in his chair needing restorations on several teeth. “We’ll try to get as much done as we can today,” said Dr. Shimeta.
“We’re providing a service that is not being addressed,” added Dr. Shimeta. “It’s only one day but we’re seeing children who need it the most. The families are so appreciative, too. It makes you feel good to be able to do something for them.”聽
“Everyone enjoys Give Kids A Smile,” said Dr. Jim Morgenroth, a WDA trustee who ran the GMDA program for several years. “Even if they’re not comfortable treating children, most will take the time to work at the prescreening event at Marquette.”
Holt Dental Supply, Patterson Dental and Omnii provided additional support to the events in Milwaukee, and the Marquette University Language Department provided translators. Five inches of snow are no obstacle when Give Kids A Smile is managed as efficiently as this event.
Before he left, José delivered on his request by asking Dr. Cimrmancic, “I just want to say something before I leave. Do you have any dental floss?”
She did, along with a toothbrush, toothpaste, stickers and a coloring book.