February 5, 2010 is Give Kids a Smile Day.  Each February, the American Dental Association sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month.  The purpose is to raise awareness about the importance of oral health.  There are many events scheduled in Clackamas County during the month of February to provide screening exams and dental care to children in need.   For those of you who are scheduled to do this:  THANK YOU. 

Most dentists that I know, are very generous when it comes to providing charitable dental care to those in need.  Whether it is volunteering time on a “dental van” or more commonly providing dental care to family or friends of patient’s our own office, we all do our part in taking care of those who need help. 

Many of you may not know, but Clackamas County Dental Society frequently gets phone calls and emails from citizens looking for low cost or free dental options.  These patients are usually referred to the Oregon Dental Association’s website Public Resouces/Community Access Programs  for options. 

You may be asking yourself:  “What more can I do to help out?” 

 Sign up to volunteer on the Oregon Dental Foundation’s TOOTH TAXI.  You can get more information from  'All Aboard the Tooth Taxi.'

Sign up to volunteer with Medical Teams International on their Dental Van.  Go to  Medical Teams International for mor information on their mobile dental program. 
   
    For dental vans, some dental services aren’t practical to provide in ‘the field’.  If you are a dental specialist, or dentist that provides specialized services, let organizations know that you are willing to see patients in your office, after they have been prescreened on the van.  As an endodontist, I would rather treat patients in my own office so I have access to a surgical operating microscope to provide the highest level of care possible. 

 Volunteer to see one patient a year, one patient a quarter, or even on patient a month from local school programs that have school nurses that prescreen for children in need of dental care.  Oregon Stand for Children is one program that is growing in our county to fill this need.  The schools listed below have programs in place (Year chapter started) in Clackamas County.
    Canby (2004), North Clackamas (2004), Oregon City (2008), Lake Oswego (2009), West Linn-Wilsonville (2009).

    Many of the programs have dental coordinators that work with dentists in the community to provide dental care.  If your community/school district isn’t listed above, take the initiative and talk to the school and get a program started.  There are not nearly enough dentists signed up with this program. 

 Donated Dental Services (DDS) provides free dental services, by dentists in their own offices, to persons of all ages with disabilities who are unable to work; as well as older adults aged 65 and over.  Go to  Donated Dental Services for more information.  This program is in conjunction with the ODA.  At the moment, the waiting list is so long, new applications from patients aren’t being accepted.  DDS can always use another volunteer to help with the demand.

These are just a few examples of programs that you can team with to provide charitable services to your community.  Use you highly trained skills to give back to those in need.

Clackamas County Dental Society supports all that work to give all a smile!