Every child deserves to receive quality
dental care. To help address the needs
of Kentucky’s underserved children, the University of Kentucky College of
Dentistry (UKCD) operates a mobile
outreach program.
The program aims to:
- Act as a dental safety
net for low-income children who typically are uninsured or have Medicaid
coverage.
- Eliminate existing
oral infections to restore childrens’ mouths to a healthy and functional
condition.
- Provide a fun and
inviting environment to ensure children leave with a positive experience of
dentistry.
UKCD’s mobile outreach effort also provides
UKCD dental students with opportunities to provide care to patients living in
the students’ own communities and to broaden their understanding of dental
public health issues and the needs of underserved communities.
“Prevention is always the key to improving
both oral and general health for all Kentuckians,” says UK President Eli
Capilouto, D.M.D., Sc.D. “As president of UK, but also as a dentist with a
public health background, I am especially happy to know we are reaching out to
children in schools and daycares and providing them the preventive dental care
they need to get a good head start on life.”
The Eastern Kentucky Ronald McDonald Care
Mobile arm of the outreach program, in operation for 10 years, has seen a
decrease in tooth decay rates of nearly 20%—cutting in half the urgent dental
needs of children—as well as improved treatment completion rates in its service
area through local partnerships.
Elementary schools with high free or
reduced-rate lunch program participants are targeted to reach children who are
unlikely to have the ability to receive treatment in a traditional setting. Each child receives
hands-on brushing and flossing demonstrations, as well as education about the
process and prevention of dental caries, helping to assure a positive long-term
impact on dental health and overall health. Children receive services such as
cleanings, fillings, extractions, stainless steel crowns, dental sealants and
fluoride treatments.
Ashland Elementary Family Resource
Coordinator Barbara Demus shared about the program, “I truly appreciate the
services that all of you provide to our students and the great care that you
all display in working with our students. You provide a very valuable service
not only to our students but also their families and our school.”
“We have noticed this new generation is
growing up with little to no dental anxiety,” says Nikki Stone, D.M.D.,
Director of the Eastern Kentucky Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. “They enjoy their
dental visits to the mobile unit at their schools and often ask if they can
have another turn.”
John Mink, D.D.S., a UKCD founding faculty
member, began raising funds for UKCD’s first mobile unit after providing care
on a mobile unit for six weeks in villages throughout Greece and Israel
alongside dental students from several schools. The program has since stretched
across the Commonwealth to reach over 40 counties throughout Eastern, Central
and Western Kentucky. Additional mobile units were added with the help of
faculty members, including Harold Lester, D.M.D., responsible for the
management and training of UK dental students on the mobile units for over 15
years, and M. Raynor Mullins, D.M.D., M.P.H.
Published on October 14, 2015.