Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children: Helping to Deliver Healthy Smiles

You know-- I kinda pride myself in understanding many of the health challenges of the low-income and underserved.  However, two weekends ago, I found myself standing at a ball park with my mouth agape... wondering how I could be surprised and disturbed by something so seemingly obvious. 

The Story

A friend of mine lives in a rural area of Georgia.  A couple of weeks ago, the hubby and I were down visiting and happened to attend a football game at which my friend's 4 year-old daughter was participating as a cheerleader. 

Sidebar:  4 year olds playing football looks nothing like any sport I've seen.  However, it closely resembles ants attacking a sugar cube and can provide some good quality giggles.

During half-time, the girls took a break and I got a moment to talk with a couple of them.  It took only a few minutes to realize that one of the girls had a dental bridge.  Then I looked around and notice that another one of the girls had a similar bridge.  Once the game and cheering started back up, I asked my friend about the two girls.  Her response left me speechless.  It seems to me that 3 of the 5 little girls (4 years old) had such significant tooth decay that they required extraction and bridgework.  Unfortunately, such problems were not uncommon on the other squads.  Further explanation, made me understand that in that community there was no dental office.  Furthermore, the average adult citizen had a poor understanding of proper dental care, preventive hygiene and importance of a low sugar diet. Subsequently, tooth decay becomes a problem in young children and they only get access to services once they start state-sponsored pre-k programs.  It is there that the teachers recognize the problem and arrange for dental care.

Once I saw the need I looked all around for a local charity that helps with educating and providing dental services to underserved and needy kids.  Strangely-- I found nothing... Zero... Zilch.  So I expanded to look nationwide. 

I found Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children in Tacoma, Washington.  While not a rural agency, the Lindquist clinic never turns away a child in need.  On their website they give a lot of statistics about the problem that I never knew.

• Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease in America
• It affects half of all first graders and 80% of seventeen-year-olds
• Low and moderate-income children miss an average of 13 days a year of school due to dental problems
• It’s been determined that 80% of all dental disease is found within the low-income population within our community.
• According to the 2000 Surgeon General’s report, “Oral Health in America ,” tooth decay is the single most chronic childhood disease – five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.

As always, if you know of a local organization that does similar work, use this post to prompt you to drop a little dollar their way.  Also be sure to leave a comment here with a link to the organization.

Send your Dollar Today
If you'd like to give to Lindquist, here's the details.

Network for Good ($10 minimum):  Click Here
Through their website:  Click Here
Through JustGive ($5 minimum):  Click Here

Thanks to Jeff Carter for the photo.

Comments

[Maithri]

Dental care is so important, especially in poorer parts of the world. In many African countries, there is no dentist. Not one.

Its so important to encourage dental care workers to venture out of the high economic areas of this world. We need them!

Light and peace, M

[Mary Joiyce Celising]

Interesting views. Thanks for blogging about this. Wish I saw this post earlier.

-heather-

[Carol Kirshner]

Thanks Mary Joyce. I hope your company helps out kids too.

[Amity Scarlet]

Furthermore, the average adult citizen had a poor understanding of proper dental care, preventive hygiene and importance of a low sugar diet.

[ima]

Dental care is so important topic and Interesting views....
San Antonio Dentist

[childrens dentist]

Poor dental health in children is a growing problem. Children need to be educated at an early age on the importance of good dental hygiene to prevent the occurance of dental problems throughout life. Thanks for sharing this post and I hope it will make a difference in many children's dental health.

-Daniel