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| #17 Cloverdale - Nestucca Valley Elementary |
May 6, 2013 by Mary Daly
 The Tooth Taxi visited Nestucca Valley Elementary in Cloverdale on the Oregon Coast, including a few students from the high school. Dr. Moffitt sums up the situation of our four day visit:
"My brain is going to explode with the difficulty
of deciding which kids will get treatment when there are so many with rampant decay, toothaches going for over a year, infected teeth, and adult front teeth with savage decay when there isn't enough time to see everyone. There are too many kids with cavities. There is not enough time to treat the giant cavities, let alone time to figure out why there are so many with decay at this school. It is terribly sad."
 That said – With school staff so appreciative and helpful the Tooth Taxi team made a difference at this site visit and provided oral health education, read on:
Catherine Johnson's oral hygiene presentation was so good that the teacher insisted that the 5th grade teachers sign their kids up for the presentation as well. Catherine also took advantage of opportunities to educate teachers and families. One teacher inquired about oral hygiene for her daughter; and one student shared with the class during a presentation that her baby sister had white spots on her teeth. Although we cannot be directly involved with a family's home care, we can encourage kids to remind their siblings and parents to brush their teeth. Providing education and awareness of good oral health is as key to our mission as treatment.
From the kid gallery:
"Why do my teeth look like saw blades?"
Realities from the road:
Dr. Moffitt: Do you brush your teeth?
High Schooler: No
Dr. Moffitt: Never?
High Schooler: Never
Other notes:
73% of students screened needed treatment
27% needed no treatment.
Stats:
Cloverdale, Nestucca Valley Elementary, May 6-9, 2013
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73 students screened |
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133 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom |
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17 appointments in the van |
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$12,320 value of free dental services provided |
Summary:
Tooth Taxi, September 4, 2008 – May 9, 2013
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13,373 students screened |
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12,995 students received oral hygiene education in the classroom |
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6,354 students treated in the van |
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$3,639,210 value of free dental services provided |
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