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MOBILE UNIT OFFERS FREE DENTAL CARE

By Erin France/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Friday, June 19, 2009 11:53 PM CDT

Dental hygienist Marilyn Hardy leaned over her latest patient, 9-year-old Christopher Chandler, cleaning his teeth.

Marilyn Hardy, a dental hygienist, performs a cleaning on Christopher Chandler’s teeth Thursday morning onboard the Ronald McDonald Dental Van. Pine Bluff Commercial/Ralph Fitzgerald

“You know what happens when you brush your teeth before you go to bed?” Hardy asked Christopher. “You have sweet dreams.”

Both were aboard Arkansas’ Ronald McDonald dental van, a program started in April to bring tooth care to children in the state.

The van was parked at Townsend Park North Elementary School four days this week and will return Monday.

There were 60 appointments made this week, although some were repeat patients, said program coordinator Lacoya Stewart.

“Several kids have come back every day,” she said. “If the need be we’ll be here until Thursday.”

The Ronald McDonald dental van is operated by the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Dental Outreach and came through a collaboration among Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas, Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Delta Dental of Arkansas.

The van usually services children ages 5-12 and focuses on teaching kids who have never been to a dentist how to properly care for their pearly whites.

The dental van serves the Central Arkansas area, Stewart said.

The program chooses schools based on the number of students in the free or reduced lunch program, she said.

“We go just anywhere that we’re needed,” Stewart said. “We’re out Monday through Thursday every week.”

The dental van has two chairs for patients, and equipment stored in expandable compartments.

“The big goal is bringing dental care to children,” said Dr. Craig Reckhemmer, the van’s dentist.

Reckhemmer said the program is hoping to have two more vans online in October. They are scheduled to service northwest and southeast parts of the state, he added.

“Brush after every meal if possible,” Hardy said.

She said parents can brush their teeth along with children, making it a family activity and less of a chore.

“Stay away from sticky, sweet food,” Hardy said.

Although such treats are almost unavoidable, eating a serving of candy or sweet foods at one time is better than consuming smaller portions throughout the day, she said.

Hardy said she shows kids how to brush their teeth by giving them a mirror.

“I brush their teeth for them as they watch,” she said. “It’s better to demonstrate with kids than tell them.”

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