Not a cure-all, but a great start
South Bend, Ind.鈥擜t 7:20 a.m. today, patients were already checking in at Erskine Family Dentistry for Give Kids A Smile day exams, cleanings, dental education and care.
Dr. Lori Risser, North Central Dental Society chair for GKAS and National Children’s Dental Health Month, and her colleagues Drs. Bonni Boone and Susan Cocquyt not only opened the doors of their practice today to help children in need, she encouraged dentists at 12 other offices in South Bend and neighboring Mishawaka to do the same.
“Participating in Give Kids a Smile is really important. It emphasizes to the public and policyholders the importance of helping kids in need,” said Dr. Risser. “One day is not a cure-all, but it’s a great start. Our goal is to help as many kids as we can.”
This morning, four dentists and a full office staff were set to provide 36 children with exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, dental health education and as much treatment as they could fit in. Kids with serious dental problems would be referred to specialists for free care as needed, and children with extensive needs would be offered free follow-up appointments to finish their treatment.
Dr. Risser and her staff not only held their own event, they also volunteered to take all the local appointment calls for all of the participating dental offices in South Bend and Mishawaka.
“My staff really stepped up,” Dr. Risser said. “We got the word out. We had an article in the South Bend Tribune and a feature on a local TV news program, so the phone has been ringing off the hook.”
Since Monday, when the newspaper article appeared, her staff has set up hundreds of appointments for area kids, and filled every slot for South Bend area dentists.
Dr. Risser worked quickly and efficiently, moving from room to room to perform exams, talk to children about their diet or toothbrushing habits, or meet with parents to explain their child’s problems and needs. The mother of 7- and 5-year-old girls, she displayed great rapport with her young patients as well as the staff and parents. She said that it’s her fourth year as GKAS chair, so things are running like clockwork.
Eight-year-old Kyler explained that he brushes every day, but doesn’t have any floss at home. His exam and X-rays show a need for three fillings and a sealant placement this morning; he will also be referred to an oral surgeon because he needs some teeth extracted.
Down the hall, Dr. Cocquyt tells four-year-old Cohen and his mom Megan that he has one tiny cavity, but brushing with a pea-sized drop of prescription fluoride toothpaste every day should keep it from progressing for now.
Megan, a teacher in a small northern Indiana school district, said they traveled 30 miles from their home in Bristol, Ind., for the GKAS event.
An art teacher at three of her district’s five schools, Megan said the district needs to cut more than $800,000 from its budget, and she isn’t sure if her job or art classes will be in the budget next year.
“My best friend called me the other day, because she knows we don’t have dental insurance. She said, ‘This is the day. You really should go.’ We really appreciate being able to do this.”
Just minutes away, in Elkhart, Ind., Dr. Christiaan Willig, was seeing GKAS patients鈥攊ncluding some whose families have taken a financial hit due to the downturn in the recreational vehicle industry.
Once dubbed the RV capital of the World, Elkhart has the highest unemployment in the nation鈥攈igher than 15 percent鈥攚hich earned the city a visit from President Barack Obama about a year ago when he was stumping for the economic stimulus bill.
“I’m glad to participate in GKAS,” said Dr. Willig. “The economy here has certainly had an effect on my practice. I’m seeing a lot more Medicaid patients now than I was last year and some of my insurance patients have lost their jobs and are Medicaid patients now, too.”
This is Dr. Willig’s third year of practice in Elkhart. Before settling here, he served four years as a dentist for the Indian Health Service on a Blackfeet Indian reservation in Browning, Mont.
“It was a great experience,” said Dr. Willig. “I got to live somewhere I wouldn’t normally have gone to. And there, it was GKAS pretty much every day.”
聽All done: Drs. Jaime Stennis and Nicole Lambert Hurcomb and patient Mariah flash their smiles during the GKAS event in Osceola, Ind.
A dad in the waiting room, David, said he heard about GKAS from a friend, and then called to make an appointment for his daughters Taylor and Hannah.
He said the economy in Elkhart has been challenging for their family. “I was laid off for a few weeks, but at least I didn’t lose my job. A lot of companies here had to close their doors. But we’re staying afloat. We appreciate this opportunity for dental care because we don’t have a regular dentist.
In nearby Osceola, Ind., Drs. Jaime Stennis and Nicole Lambert Hurcomb saw 22 GKAS patients for exams, cleanings, fluoride and any needed treatment.
Classmates at the Indiana University School of Dentistry who graduated in 2007, Drs. Stennis and Lambert Hurcomb are GKAS veterans who have participated in programs in both dental school and practice. Their patients today were referred by local school nurses.
“Last year, we saw the same number of patients as this year, and we ended up staying until after 6 p.m. because the kids needed so much care,” said Dr. Lambert Hurcomb. “This year we’ve had more younger children and their problems are less severe.”
“Our office has a great time doing this,” said Dr. Stennis. “We are excited to help as many kids as we can.”