Busloads of children from Needles and Big River treated at School
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Dr. David Rogers, dental anesthesia resident, screens a child at the Needles Head Start Program in preparation for treatment. |
On Friday, April 27, the School of Dentistry provided dental
care to some of the State’s most rural and underserved children.
During the first-of-its-kind event, nearly 60 children and
their guardians who live in Needles and Big River, remote desert areas
virtually inaccessible to dental care, traveled by bus to the School of
Dentistry so the children could receive treatment. Pediatric dental faculty
in the University’s pediatric dental clinics supervised their care.
In preparation for the event, Todd Milledge, DDS, chair,
pediatric dentistry department, joined faculty and staff, leaving the
University at 4:30 one morning and traveling to the children’s hometowns
where they screened and prepared individual treatment plans and charts.
Many of the children needed general anesthesia, and to ensure they were properly prepared beforehand and cared for after the anesthesia wore off, some of the children spent Thusday and Friday nights in the area. Funding for the lodging was donated by Jeff Bennett, former mayor of Corona. Loma Linda University and the Redlands Kiwanis Club also donated funds to pay for expenses related to the children’s stay.
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Trixie the Clown delights children
waiting to receive dental care on Friday, April 27. |
The dental care was made possible by a grant from San Bernardino
County Children and Families Commission, part of the California Children
and Families Commission, chaired by filmmaker Rob Reiner and set up to
distribute funds from Proposition 10.
Funds are awarded to hospitals, child help agencies, and others to improve the well-being of children too young to qualify for school-based programs. Carla Lidner, DDS, MS, assistant professor, and Charles J. Goodacre, DDS, MSD, dean, submitted a grant proposal to the Commission, and were awarded $914,997 for dental care to be used for dental education and services for children ages 0 to 5, in San Bernardino County.
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Dr. Todd Milledge and Dr. Ron Forde
set up portable x-ray equipment at Big River Head Start Preschool.
Also pictured is Lillian Andrade. |
After screening children in Needles and Big River, Dr. Carla Lidner director of the grant, and other faculty discuss plans for their care. |
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Children from Big River Head Start
preschool line up to wave goodbye to the School of Dentistry team. |
Lisa Highton, RN (right) and Dr. Tami Elloway Song (not pictured) organized activities for the children and their parents. Here, they play with children under the tents. |
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| Dr. David Anderson,
chair, dental anesthesia, answers questions from the media. |
Proposition 10 Commissioners from San Bernardino and Riverside counties were among guests invited to see the children receive care and to meet their parents. Here they meet withDr. Charles Goodacre. |
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A child receives care in the pediatric
dentistry clinic. During the event, local dentists were invited
to observe.
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Lorraine Ehler, RDH, volunteered for the event, providing education to parents and caregivers. |
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