By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Dr. Bushra Aouthmany sees several young patients each year who don’t have a toothbrush of their own. They share one brush with their siblings.
As the only dental service in Wood County that accepts Medicaid patients, the Wood County Community Health Center is the sole option for many patients. And Aouthmany, the center’s dentist, knows there are many dental problems going untreated in the county.
In an effort to try to catch dental issues before they become very serious, the health center will begin taking its dental care on the road to school districts starting next year.
The plan, along with funding of $121,523 in mobile dental equipment, was approved earlier this month by the boards of the health department and the health center.
“This is going to be huge,” Aouthmany said.
“The beauty of having a school-based program is you’re reaching those children in underserved areas,” she said. Children don’t have to be pulled from school, parents don’t need to miss work, and transportation does not need to be arranged, she said.
When Lindsey Ruivivar, CEO of the Community Health Center, presented the proposal to the boards earlier this month, she stressed the need for serving those with the greatest needs and the fewest options.
“We’re the only Medicaid dental provider in the whole county,” she said. “Dental is a huge need across the region. How can we meet the needs of the community? How can we do the most with the resources we have?”
Last year, the health center began providing sealants to students in second and sixth grades. The sealant covers the top of molars, preventing “potholes” from starting, Aouthmany said.
While more than 200 students received that treatment, that was just the tip of the problem. School nurses kept asking the health center if any other dental services could be provided.
“We hear from school nurses all the time,” Aouthmany said.
The mobile dental services will be able to offer exams, cleanings, X-rays, fluoride and sealants.
“We want to catch things before they get really large,” Aouthmany said.
Children suffering from untreated dental pain have trouble learning in school, and are at risk for a whole host of other health problems.
“They have a hard time focusing when they are in pain,” Aouthmany said.
Plus poor dental care can lead to long-term problems such as poor nutrition, diabetes and hypertension, according to Lindsey Ruivivar, CEO of the Community Health Center.
“The mouth is connected to the whole body,” Ruivivar said.
And poor dental health can lead to tooth loss, which can erode confidence.
“Some people feel like they can’t smile, they can’t get jobs,” Aouthmany said. “It’s a good thing to stop it before it becomes a big problem.”
The children being treated will also learn healthy dental habits, like eating the right foods and practicing good dental hygiene.
The goal is to have the mobile equipment purchased in time to start the school visits in January 2025. And it is hoped the dental program will be in schools at least two days each month.
The portable dental equipment, ideally with three exam chairs, will be set up in the gymnasium or an unused classroom, Ruivivar said.
The cost of staffing the portable program with a dentist and hygienists, will be reimbursed by Medicaid revenue. An estimated 30 students could be seen at each visit. There are no out-of-pocket costs for children in the Medicaid system.
The health center will partner with school nurses to determine the students most in need, and get parental consent.
“They see the need,” Ruivivar said of school nurses.
Parents won’t have to be present during the appointments, but they may attend if they wish.
Wood County Health Commissioner Ben Robison voiced his support for the mobile dental program.
“Every school district has a population who can benefit,” Robison said.
