Community Connection

Baylor College of Dentistry sponsors Access to Care

Baylor College of Dentistry hosted Access to Care dental screenings and Tooth Talk dental education classes Jan. 29 at the West Dallas Community School. It was part of a nationwide health initiative sponsored by the Association of Academic Health Centers to raise awareness about the millions of uninsured people in America.

Fourth-year dental students provided dental screenings (and appropriate referrals to dentists when needed) to the entire student body. Third-year dental students presented education classes on good oral

health habits. Leeanna Bartlett, director of social services in public health sciences, and LaDawn Brock, communications specialist in the Office of Communications and Development, coordinated the event. Kitty Trammell, clinical accounting clerk in clinical services, donned her "Kitty the Clown" persona to entertain the children.

"It was a rewarding experience because we left feeling as if we'd accomplished something," Bartlett said. "We made a tangible difference in the children's lives by providing important information on oral health care as well as access to general health care information and local resources."

In addition to BCD participants, a representative from the Children's Health Insurance Program was on hand to help parents enroll their children. CHIP enables families who are not eligible for Medicaid to afford medical and dental coverage.

BCD meets community needs

The Department of Public Health Sciences' Community Connections initiative provided outreach programs and services in six Dallas-area locations in January.

Third-year dental students made Tooth Talk presentations to elementary students in Garland and Mesquite and at two parochial preschools in Dallas. They also worked with middle school and high school visitors to BCD in four Project Dental Awareness programs coordinated by La Chelle King, program manager in the Office of Student Development.

Dr. Patricia Skur, assistant professor of public health sciences, presented a parent seminar while Dr. Steve Dickey (BCD'01), a resident in BCD's advanced education in general dentistry program, talked to preschool children at Mi Escuelita School in Dallas. By the Roots was presented to children at four elementary schools in Arlington, Irving and Mansfield.

Second-, third- and fourth-year dental students participated in the Asian-American Health Fair in Garland and the Health Careers Extravaganza at Townview Center in Dallas. Dr. Loulou Moore (BCD '93, '94), assistant professor of restorative sciences, was the supervising dentist at these events.

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