| Dentalgram |
May 2002
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More than $27,000 in dental care provided during Clinic with a Heart on April 14
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| Christina Bradley was the first patient for Clinic With a Heart, and arrived at 1:00 a.m. She was given an event T-shirt. |
On April 14, 2002, hours before the sun rose, 219 members
of the community—from toddlers to grandparents—began to fill
tents set up by Loma Linda University. They came to be a part of Clinic
With a Heart, a day of dental care provided at no cost for those with
financial need, sponsored by the School of Dentistry.
Though patient registration did not begin until 6:30 a.m., need is so
great that many individuals arrived hours earlier. Christina Bradley,
the first patient for this year’s clinic, heard about Clinic With
a Heart in a public service announcement, and traveled to the School with
her mother, arriving at 1:00 a.m. with blankets.
This year more than $27,000 in dental care was provided at no cost to
the patients—the most that has been provided since the event was
first held 14 years ago. Procedures included: 174 radiographs, 66 teeth
cleanings, 67 amalgams, and 84 extractions. Additional procedures included
stainless steel crowns, sealants, occlusal adjustments, among others.
The event was staffed by 344 volunteers including School of Dentistry
faculty, staff, predoctoral and graduate students. School of Nursing students
took blood pressures. Also helping were Baldyview Regional Occupational
Program (ROP) Dental Assisting School, and Chaffey Jr. College dental
assisting program, who sent approximately 20 students and instructors.
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| Pictured from left: Carrie Lopez, Robin Fierro, and Jennifer Osborne staff the volunteer check-in table. They also distributed T-shirts provided by Crest toothpaste |
Each year community response has been overwhelming, with
hundreds receiving free dental care and treatment ranging from simple
fillings and cleanings to extractions and diagnosis of more complex dental
problems.
Crest toothpaste has partnered with the School of Dentistry for Clinic
With a Heart, providing toothbrushes and toothpaste, and funding for T-shirts
for the volunteers. Each year one child in immediate need of care is selected
by the School, and Procter & Gamble Company and Crest® toothpaste
provide additional funding for more extensive dental work to be completed.
“This has become a University-wide event,” says Mary Hartwell,
dental clinics manager. “Employees from housekeeping, campus cafeteria,
campus engineering, and media services donated services, food items, and
tents and chairs for the event.”
In the late 1980s Leif K. Bakland, SD’63, who was at the time associate
dean, clinic administration, encouraged dental student leadership to begin
a yearly one-day free clinic for community people who could not afford
dental care. He suggested the name Clinic With a Heart, after a similar
program, Doctors With a Heart, in which dentists open their offices for
a day of free care.
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| After patients were screened Anahid Benzatyan, supervisor, patient business office (right), assigned them for treatment. Mary Hartwell, dental clinics manager, is seated. | Debbie Webster, part-time faculty, dental hygiene senior Stephanie Sobieski's patient. | Dental hygiene juniors (from left) Kristi Morgan, Kristin Allen, and Kelly Noto develop radiographs. |
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| Evan Tillotson, D1 (left) and Marlon Peter, D3, prepare to perform an extraction in the oral surgery clinic. | Faculty and students provide care in the main clinic. This year, 219 patients were served by 344 Clinic With a Heart volunteers. |
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| International Dentist Program faculty, staff, and students also volunteered for Clinic With a Heart. | Gina Bothner, staff writer, The Sun newspaper, interviews Thomas Rogers, SD'83, assistant professor, restorative and ODRP departments. |
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| Pablo Carillo and Carol Wall, clinic supply staff, volunteered in the dental supply area. | Pictured (from left) Yvonne Ramos, D4, Cecilia Kao, first-year pediatric dentistry resident, and Kenneth Chen, D1. |
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| Students from the School of Nursing volunteered, taking blood pressures. Also pictured is nursing professor Dee Hart (standing, far right). |
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All rights reserved. Revised February 14, 2001
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