Dental
Visits are Fun for
Children
|
Dr.
Nicole Boxberger
shows Kenya the
correct way to
brush her teeth. |
The children wore silly
sunglasses and paper
crowns while dancing down
the hallways of the LSUHSC
School of Dentistry
(LSUSD) during the annual
Give Kids A Smile (GKAS)
day. Sponsored by the
American Dental
Association every February
during Children's Dental
Health Month, this
nationwide event is
designed to spotlight the
dental needs of children.
For Dr. Janice Townsend,
interim chair of the
Department of Pediatric
Dentistry, a festive
environment was a key
component of the effort.
"All our attitudes about
life are formed when we
are young. It's vital that
we teach children that
dentistry is good and that
it will help them
throughout their lives. In
order to do so, we have to
make it fun for a child to
go to the dentist."
Under Dr. Townsend's
leadership and in
collaboration with the New
Orleans Dental Association
and the Children's Dental
Health Month Committee,
LSUSD organized a team of
39 dentists, residents in
the pediatric dentistry
program and dental
hygienists to provide
screenings for 50
kindergarten children from
W. Smith Elementary School
in Violet, Louisiana. This
undertaking was led by
Drs. Kellie Axelrad and
Nicole Boxberger, both
graduates of the pediatric
dentistry program. At
Children's Hospital, Dr.
Pam Shaw, also a graduate
of the LSUSD program,
provided care for an
additional six children.
About 25% of the children
were in need of dental
treatment and some needed
urgent care. Each child
was given an extraoral and
soft tissue exam and also
goody bags with
toothbrushes and
toothpaste. Led by
Jennifer Hew, faculty
member in the Dental
Hygiene program, an
enthusiastic team of
dental hygiene students
and their teachers gave
the children personal
instruction on how to
brush and floss. Later,
the lessons were
reinforced by a video
featuring Dudley the
Dinosaur.
|
Colten
Ducote,
second-year
dental students,
poses with Tyler
|
On Friday, February 10,
a team of seven dentists
and dental assistants
participated in an
awareness event at the
Hornets basketball game.
They provided counseling
to 550 basketball fans on
oral hygiene and diet,
along with gifts of
toothbrushes and
toothpaste.
Dr. Townsend remarked,
"I had a fabulous time and
I think our kids really
enjoyed the care they
received." Media coverage
this year included
television interviews on
the local Fox station and
NBC affiliate, along with
an article in The
Times-Picayune.
Nationwide, there were
1,615 such GKAS events
with 29,885 dental
professional volunteers
caring for 405,614
children.
According to Dean
Gremillion, dean of LSUSD,
outreach programs are
essential to the dental
school's philosophy of
"Education First".
"Reaching out to
underserved populations is
a win-win for everyone
involved. The children
benefit. Our students
benefit. It is essential
that we maintain a caring,
service-minded environment
at the LSUHSC School of
Dentistry."
|