Dental student Clayton Rau examines Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School student Jose Garcia III while his mother, Claudia Garcia, looks on.
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Health Science Center dental and dental hygiene students helped keep a smile on the faces of more than 800 Edgewood Independent School District students this month by providing free dental care as part of the American Dental Association’s national “Give Kids a Smile Day” on Feb. 2 and National Children’s Dental Health Month.

The Edgewood second-graders rode buses to the Dental School on Feb. 2 and Feb. 16 to receive free dental exams, fluoride treatments and sealants. About 220 dental chairs on three floors of the Dental School were devoted to the effort.

The project is a public service provided by the Dental School, Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas Inc. and the Edgewood school district. The Health Science Center donates the professional services, which amounts to more than $50,000 in preventive care. “This is meant to be a positive experience for the kids,” said Gary Guest, D.D.S., coordinator for the Dental Sealants Project. It also provides real-world experience and a community service opportunity for dental and dental hygiene students.

The sealants are placed on healthy teeth without cavities. “We also identify kids who have urgent care needs,” Guest said. “We send a feedback form to the parents so that they know what was done. Then, we work through the school nurses to make provisions for students who need to be seen for more dental care,” Guest said. Children who need urgent care are referred to the Ricardo Salinas Clinic, the Dental School or to another affiliated free or low-cost dental clinic. “We apply about 1,500 sealants each year through the program and about 75 to 100 children will receive urgent care,” Guest said.

In addition to the free dental services, the children get a take-home bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste and coloring book that reinforces what they have been learning in an oral health unit at school.

Jose Garcia III, a second-grader from Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School, was excited about going on the field trip to the Dental School. His mother, Claudia, was grateful for the advice on how to proceed next to correct his overcrowded lower teeth. “I had already taken him to the dentist before, but he needed to be seen by a specialist. I’m glad to get more insight into what he will need,” she said.

Second-year dental student Clayton Rau took a look at Jose’s teeth. “We try to be friendly and joke with each child to help them feel more comfortable,” he said. “But we always give them the same respect we would an adult. I enjoy working on the patients. Every now and then a story pops up that is very funny.”

This is the sixth year the Dental School has brought children to the Health Science Center for treatment, but the Dental School has had a much longer legacy of providing free health services for children from low-income families. “We have a 25-year affiliation with the Edgewood school district that goes back to the pre-fluoride days. We wanted to target the population of children who have a higher potential for cavities. Sealants and fluoride are a proven way to prevent dental decay,” Guest said.

Methodist Healthcare Ministries underwrites the cost of materials and transportation for the children.