As part of National Children’s Dental Health month in February, Olde Towne Medical Center’s annual “Give Kids a Smile” program continues to grow. This will be the fourth year the program has been offered, and last year more than 50 volunteers served approximately 200 kids.
Over 20 dentists volunteer and rotate at Olde Towne Medical Center on a regular basis, with one focusing on pediatric dentistry. During “Give Kids a Smile,” their four dental chairs and an additional four portable chairs loaned by the Virginia Dental Association are open for cleaning and some restorative work for area children.
For this event, the center advertises in the newspaper and with fliers to the schools for kids who are age 20 and under who are uninsured or on Medicaid. “It gets the word out on what we do here for children. Many people won’t come find us unless their kid is in pain. But we are here all year round, not just for emergencies,” says Maggie Burton, dental program coordinator.
For last year’s event, children received nearly 900 dental procedures including dental exams, cleanings, X-rays, fillings, fluoride treatments, sealant applications and extractions. Another part of the program that’s been growing is the educational component, including nutritional counseling and oral hygiene instruction. Hygiene students help children understand why they need to avoid eating too many sugary foods and when and how to brush their teeth properly.
Amy Dudley, dental assistant, says that the biggest need is for kids to get in the habit of taking daily care of their teeth. “What we need is time – people often rush through their dental care but they should be going 30 seconds with mouthwash and brushing for a full two minutes – even if their arms get tired.”
For first teeth, she recommends getting in the habit of wiping gums after a bottle or a meal with a warm washcloth. Much of the process of getting kids to like going to the dentist is to get them used to the process. Dudley says that it is regular practice to show children dental instruments without turning them on, and this is one of the benefits of an event like “Give Kids a Smile” because it helps get children used to climbing in the dental chair.
“What we need is time – people often rush through their dental care but they should be going 30 seconds with mouthwash and brushing for a full two minutes – even if their arms get tired.”
“Noise is a common fear. It’s really important for kids grow used to it,” she says, and adds that going to the dentist every six months can help that. “The longer they’ve been away, the harder it is. There’s a cycle of fear.”
One of the goals of the program is to educate kids and parents about the steps of good oral hygiene. Dudley recommends a toothbrush with a long handle to allow parents to help brush their children’s teeth starting at an early age, like 1 year old.
“As long as it’s a small and soft tooth brush head, it’s not size of the toothbrush that matters. Teach your kids to sit on your lap facing you and help them brush. Start with no toothpaste and get them clean and then add some toothpaste,” she says.
Dudley says that commercials often misinform people about their dental care. “Commercials aren’t helpful in conveying what to do and how. They don’t talk about how long or how many times a day to brush.” Dudley also notes that whitening products give the misleading idea that white teeth are ideal, but the health of your teeth (and gums) is much more important than the color. The center aims to provide helpful, accurate information about dental health, and let people know that Olde Towne is there to help care for their kids’ teeth.
In addition to the dental component, Olde Towne wants to make it fun for kids, and they invite the Kolonial Klowns to paint faces and make balloon animals, as well as food, drinks from area businesses. And, of course, the “goody bag” kids receive at the event doesn’t have candy; it has toothpaste, a toothbrush, floss and brochures on dental care.
