Students discuss dental health practices

Thursday, February 23, 2006
Truman fifth grade students interact with FCCLA high school students to learn more about good oral hygiene and the hazards of tobacco use.

February is dental health month. Tuesday, Nevada high school members of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, distributed toothbrushes and toothpaste to fifth graders at Truman school along with a workshop on how to care for teeth and on the damage tobacco can do to the mouth and lungs.

The toothbrushes and toothpaste were donated by some of the local dentists, R-5 PTO groups, and the Vernon County Health Department.

This latest effort provides one more tool in encouraging children to help themselves to achieve and maintain good oral health. Prevention of dental problems through good oral hygiene is, however, only one side of the issue.

Another problem many low income parents face in meeting their children's dental needs is the lack of dentists who will accept Medicaid, MC+ and non-insured patients.

Local dentist Tom Bunton describes the position many dentists across Missouri face. He explained that Medicaid reimbursements may not cover the costs of supplies the dentist incurs.

"I don't blame my colleagues for not taking new Medicaid patients." He went on to say the paperwork for Medicaid claims is far different than that for normal insurance. He also pointed out that a dentist must remember his business is a business.

He said, "Dentists that have been in practice for a while have regular patients. There are only so many hours in a day a dentist can work, so there may not be time to treat new patients."

The need for affordable dental health care is wide spread and may not be any worse in Vernon County than elsewhere in Missouri or throughout the United States. However, the need for free or low-cost dental care for children in Vernon County is obvious to Bunton.

Bunton suggested voters contact their representatives and indicate their concern for more dentists and dental schools.

"The youngest dentist in this area is at least 50 years old," Bunton explained. "Finding a local dentist may be a real difficulty in five to 10 years."

"I do want to compliment the public schools," Bunton added. "They are trying their very best to help children in this area through informational workshops, fluoride treatments and free toothbrushes and toothpaste."

Jan Thompson, school nurse said, "Various members of FCCLA have done these presentations and given out toothbrushes and toothpaste to almost 1,000 students from kindergarten through grade five. We allow time for these activities to show we feel dental care is that important."

The fifth grade presentation included handouts, a short video and a diagram about the dangers of smoking and chewing and tips on resisting peer pressure.

Skits for lower grades offered tips on tooth brushing, flossing, choosing foods that strengthen teeth and bones and encouraged development of good dental hygiene habits.

"The students enjoy these presentations and are really interested and interactive toward the FCCLA instructors," Thompson said.

There is an on-going concern for the dental needs of children in Vernon County. The Nevada Regional Medical Center has worked with the local schools to bring students from the dental school in Kansas City to the area once a year.

School nurses have helped meet the needs of uninsured children in the school system by thoroughly utilizing the services of the Miles for Smiles dental van.

This mobile dental unit is based in Bolivar, Mo., and is an affiliate of Citizen's Memorial Healthcare. Federally funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Miles for Smiles serves Barton, Cedar, Dade, Dallas, Hickory, Polk and Vernon counties.

Each year the R-5 school nurses have selected children with the greatest dental needs and contacted their parents to schedule treatments for them during the short time the van is in this area.

It is feared this van may not be available next year.

Beth Swopes, director of the Vernon County Health Department, said, "Denise Nelson and the other school nurses work very hard to get dental care for the kids who may be having dental pain."

The high school students involved in FCCLA participate in the skits as part of their club and classroom activities.

The FCCLA is a nonprofit national career and technical student organization for young men and women in family and consumer sciences education in public and private schools through grade 12. The club motto is "Building Skills For Life."

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