The Foundation has been awarded an Oral Health Grant by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Foundation would like to thank Mountain States Health Alliance and Magnolia Mobile Dental for their partnership with us on the project!
The Goal of the Oral Health Grant
The goal of this Project is to develop an easy to replicate model that will encourage pediatricians, dentists, community organizations, and businesses in rural communities to work together to increase awareness of children’s oral healthcare needs.
November 30, 2007 - Summary of Oral Health Grant Progress
To date we have made significant strides in planning for our oral health screening day. The firm dates for our events are set. A local Wal-Mart has agreed to allow the mobile dental clinic to park in the parking lot for the community screening day. Magnolia Mobile Dental has confirmed that they will provide a mobile dental unit equipped with child size dental chairs on the day of the screening. An additional day of screening has been added and this will take place at Dr. Aldens office.
The Oral Screenings will take place on:
Saturday, March 29, 2008 - Dental office screening day at Dr. Frank Alden's Office
Saturday, April 12, 2008 - Magnolia Mobile Dental Clinic Screening Day at Wal-Mart
Dr. Alden, the local participating dentist, has agreed to donate his clinic space, time, and staff for use to screen the ETSU pediatric patients. I have met with him and discussed the particulars of time management and the mechanics of what we will be able to accomplish during an eight hour time frame on two separate days. He has volunteered to lead an educational conference prior to the screening day for residents, medical students, and clinicians at the clinic on dental triage and assessment.
We have secured Mountain States Heath Alliance (MSHA) as a sponsor of this project. MSHA will be contributing $5,000 to this initiative. They are ordering the backpacks through their own supplier and as a result of this partnership the quality and durability of the backpacks will be much better. In addition, MSHA will be enlisting their marketing department to hold a media event on December 10th at 10:00 am in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Magnolia Mobile Dental will have a mobile dental unit on site that day as well. The goal of this media event is to inform the Johnson City community about this upcoming opportunity. Following the media event, we will be looking for sponsors to contribute the following: toothbrushes, dental floss, toothbrush holders, and other dental related promotional items. We are planning for purchasing the toothpaste and mouthwash directly from the grant.
The Dean of Student Affairs at Quillen College of Medicine, Dr. Kwasigroch has also met with me and is committed to supporting our project. The first and second year medical students plan to assemble our oral health backpacks during a lunch hour in January as well as assist with the promotion and execution of the oral health screening day.
The details of the Oral Health Grant are available on our website so that our members and supporters can stay informed of the progress of this project.
About the Grant:
The Goal of the Oral Health Grant
The goal of this Project is to develop an easy to replicate model that will encourage pediatricians, dentists, community organizations, and businesses in rural communities to work together to increase awareness of children’s oral healthcare needs.
How the Project will Accomplish this Goal
This pilot project will distribute 1000 Oral Health Kits during Oral Health Month in February 2008. Pediatricians at East Tennessee State University Pediatrics in Johnson City will use the patient/pediatrician interaction as occasion to educate, provide oral health products and provide families and children with access to a free, convenient and necessary oral health screening. A local dentist, Dr. Frank Alden, has offered to provide a full day of free screenings at his office and another day of screening at a central Johnson City location. Magnolia Mobile Dental Services has agreed to provide a mobile dental unit on the day of the TNAAP Oral Health Screening.
The Oral Healthcare Kits
Oral Healthcare Kits will be contained in a tote or backpack made of a durable material that will assist children in keeping their oral supplies together and transporting them as needed (such as in cases of children in shared custody situations). The kits will include a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss, a Voucher for free dental screening, and an informational handout about proper dental care.
Measuring of the Success of the Program
Measurement of the success of the program will be determined in several ways including the support received from local organizations and businesses, the number of Oral Health Kits that can be assembled and distributed and the number of children/families that follow through/participate in Oral Health Screening Day. Other measures include the number of additional children that participate in the Oral Health Screening Day and the expressed interest of Project Partners to participate in similar Oral Health Programs in other rural areas.
Long-Range Goals for this Program
Upon successful completion, TPSF will prepare a “Practice to Action: Rural Oral Health Guidebook” that will assist pediatricians in rural areas implement this program. The Guidebook will include resources and instructions on how to secure funds from corporate sponsors and develop relationships with other collaborative partners including dentists, local businesses, mobile dental healthcare providers, and pediatric residents.
The Oral Screenings will take place on:
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Dental office screening day at Dr. Frank Alden's Office
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Mobile Dental Clinic Screening Day at Walmart
