Community and Preventive Dentistry Program
The following represents a few of the highlights from the annual Community and Preventive Dentistry calendar:
Veteran's Dental Care Day - November (held on or around Veteran's Day)
SIU SDM Provides Over $45,000 in Free Dental Care to Veterans
The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) provided free dental care to 85 deserving veterans during the fifth annual Veteran’s Care Day on Thursday, Nov. 10. SIU SDM provided more than $45,000 worth of free dental treatment during the event, including cleanings, x-rays, fillings and extractions.
Veteran Marine John W. Smith attended the event for the first time. Due to various circumstances, he had to take three different buses just to get to the dental clinic. Smith wanted to make sure he was not going to miss the opportunity to gain free, comprehensive dental care.
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“I need to get some teeth pulled. They hurt really bad,” said Smith. “I am thankful that the SIU SDM is doing this for the vets. It is really helping me out.”
“We know the veterans are appreciative of this opportunity,” said SIU SDM Director of Community Dentistry Katie Kosten, DMD. “We are incredibly appreciative of them and what they have done for our country.”
“Many veterans do not have comprehensive dental benefits and are without a routine provider for their care,” Kosten continued. “Veteran’s Care Day is an opportunity for veterans to access something that they normally have a hard time finding. We provide as much care as possible during the visit. We also give them the opportunity to become patients at the dental school.”
Over the past five years, $225,000 of free dental care has been provided to veterans during the SIU SDM’s Veteran’s Care Day.
Photo: Veteran Marine John W. Smith receives free dental care provided by SIU SDM students.
Give Kids a Smile Day Provides Free Dental Care to Nearly 130 Children
Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) hosted its 17th annual Give Kids a Smile Day on Monday, Oct. 10, offering free comprehensive dental care to 129 children between the ages of 3-13. More than $61,000 worth of care was provided for free.
“The SIU School of Dental Medicine is an important asset to the community as we provide access to care for patients who have difficulty securing a dentist that can serve their comprehensive needs,” said Katie Kosten, DMD, SIU SDM director of community dentistry. “The dental school provides an opportunity for patients to receive care from start to finish. We really reinforce the need to establish a dental home and we are happy to be that for patients throughout the region.”
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The care provided ranged from exams, x-rays and cleanings to treatment including stainless steel crowns, fillings and extractions. All services were provided by SIU SDM faculty, students, staff and volunteer dental professionals.
“My kids had never been to a dentist before coming here,” said Patti Dobelman, a mom from Bethalto who has brought her kids to Give Kids a Smile Day for the past four years. “The dental students are relatable to the kids and make them comfortable. It is very convenient and a big cost savings.”
“I want my kids to have healthy teeth,” added Christopher Blake, a dad from Granite City who brought his three kids to the event for the first time. “Maybe they won’t drink such sugary drinks. The students are educating them on how to brush their teeth.”
This year, the SIU School of Dental Medicine brought back its Smile Stations. First- and second-year dental students hosted engaging activities to teach the young patients about the importance of oral health and offered them a positive association with the dentist as happy helpers and healers.
“It has been a really fun day,” said first-year dental student Brooke Hudson, of Granite City, who was dressed up as a tooth fairy. “We are encouraging the kids to get involved with the activities after they receive their treatment and get them excited about oral health.”
Give Kids a Smile Day is a national event sponsored by the American Dental Association to provide free dental treatment for underserved children. The event is organized to promote community awareness of the need for dental services among the underserved.
Photos: SIU SDM dental student provides free dental care during the SIU SDM’s Give Kids a Smile Day.
National Children's Dental Health Month (throughout the month of February)
SIU SDM Promotes Dental Health for Children during National Children's Dental Health Month
Throughout the month, third- and fourth-year SDM students engage with hundreds of children and teachers through interactive activities and games, as well as oral health screenings, in cooperation with several area schools. Oral health activities teach children about proper dental hygiene, tooth decay prevention, healthy diet and nutrition, oral/systemic connections, and more. Teachers and children travel to the SDM’s Alton campus to enjoy the educational activities and receive a dental screening.
“We are grateful for the teachers who make it a priority for their students to experience oral health education during National Children’s Dental Health Month,” said SIU SDM Director of Community Dentistry Katie Kosten, DMD. “We have a huge appreciation for the efforts of the teachers and for the SIU SDM’s community partners. One of the most important relationships we have is with our area teachers.”
“We know that oral health education is important, and in order to get the message out, we have to start early,” Kosten added. “We continue to work to make our programs better every year, so that we can continue to be of service to our community. We look forward to continued relationships with schools, community groups, and community stakeholders in order to make a positive impact on oral and overall health."
Additional Community Dentistry programs hosted throughout the year:
Madison County Oral Health Education Program
Our students are actively engaged in outreach activities including providing oral health promotion at elementary, middle and high schools in Madison County. As part of the Clinical Community Dentistry course, Year III and IV students work in teams, which generally consist of 2 students. Each team is assigned to classes at a Madison County elementary school, middle school and high school. Student teams conduct a needs assessment at each school, after meeting with school administrators and the school nurse. They then make age-appropriate oral health presentations to each class in elementary and middle schools twice per semester and to high school classes once per semester.
As the dental students graduate from year III to year IV, they move with the public school students; i.e., if they were assigned to grade 3 in their Year III, they move to grade 4 in their year IV. At the end of year IV, students write a service-learning paper describing their experiences at public schools and the impact they have made on the students.
Oral screenings and oral health education in the community
Another component of the Clinical Community Dentistry program involves student participation in oral screenings and oral health education in our community. Year III and Year IV students actively participate in local health fairs and provide oral cancer screenings at various venues, including sites in East St. Louis and Senior Services Plus locations. Students make oral health presentations to mothers in a local Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, parents of kids in the Riverbend Head Start Program, and provide screenings and education to the children at the Madison County Youth Detention Home.
Special Needs Patient Care
Year III students get didactic instruction and clinical experience in special needs patient management and/or care. Each student’s clinical experience consists of rotations through our Special needs Clinic and another off-site experience. We provide screenings at the William Bedell Centers for children and adults every year. We also provide screenings for the athletes at the Area 12 Special Olympics games in Edwardsville every year. In addition, our students work at a residential facility for people with developmental disabilities- Beverly Farms, under Dr. Scott Wolter's supervision.
Geriatric Dentistry
Year IV students receive didactic instruction and clinical experience in managing elderly patients living independently in the community as well as those in assisted living institutions or nursing homes. Our students provide annual screenings for the residents of our local nursing home- Eunice Smith. Each student also provides in-service training to our local nursing home staff and a presentation on a relevant topic to elderly people in our community.
