Most of the elementary school students put on brave faces as they headed back to the oft-dreaded dental chair Friday morning. A few admitted they were nervous, and some held hands to calm their fears.
From their offices on South Main Street in downtown Reidsville, Drs. Cindy Bolton and Scott Vines, along with other dentists throughout Rockingham County and North Carolina, set aside Friday to offer their services for free to children who might not otherwise get a chance at a dentist’s visit. It was the fifth annual Give Kids a Smile event, sponsored by the American Dental Association.
Rockingham County Schools partnered with local dentists’ offices and the Rockingham County Department of Public Health to see the children, identified through the school system as needing oral health care their families might not otherwise have the resources to provide. The event is conducted in February in conjunction with Dental Health Month.
Bolton and Vines saw about two dozen elementary-aged children, with both dentists offering their time and services at no cost. Throughout the day, they placed sealant on teeth to help prevent future problems, they filled pesky cavities and they extracted teeth that needed to come out.
As Dr. Vines worked on a girl with black and pink pants, a purple coat and Converse sneakers, he said he hopes the measures the dentists are taking today will help the kids to have a better chance at a healthier future. Good dental hygiene can help build self-esteem and aid in better overall health, he added.
“Prevention goes a long way,” he said.
Bolton said at least a half-dozen of the children she had seen had abscesses, which are chronic infections in the mouth. Such painful problems could lead to trouble paying attention in class, she said.
Give Kids a Smile originally started as a program to simply get children’s teeth sealed, so as to better prevent cavities. In 2003 it took on its now-broader focus.
“The hope … is that children will receive comprehensive care,” Bolton said.
The dentists are also hopeful the children learn to create a lifestyle that includes good dental hygiene.
“We like to do everything we can to increase awareness on all fronts,” Bolton said.
In addition to showcasing to the community the importance of dental hygiene, Bolton said the goal is always to emphasize to lawmakers the necessity of dentistry – for those who have the insurance to afford it, as well as those who do not. For the past several years, she said, dentistry has been earmarked to receive about 2 percent of the annual Medicaid budget.
On Friday, Tomahdji Aiken, 8, said he was a little bit nervous about seeing a dentist. But he admitted he knew it was for the best: “Because it’s good to have people check up on your teeth.”
During last year’s event, about 2,000 dentists were able to see 19,000 children throughout North Carolina, according to a Give Kids a Smile 2009 report. The dentists performed a total of about $2 million in dental work.
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