Future dentists take time to reach out to neighborhood kids

The dentist's office is notorious for inspiring fear and dread in the hearts of young children everywhere.

But there didn't seem to be any signs of anxiety on the faces of kids at Sayre Middle School on Thursday, as they gathered around Kammy Benson, a third-year student at Penn's School of Dental Medicine.

"Do you know how to floss?" Benson asked one young girl. After a shrugged response, Benson whipped out a string of dental floss and began teaching, using the plastic teeth of a stuffed animal before giving the girl an opportunity to try herself.

After the brief demonstration, the girl walked away, supplied with her own sample of dental floss, along with a new toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste.

The scene was repeated dozens of times over the course of the next two hours, during which Benson and two of her fellow students taught roughly 150 children the basics of brushing, flossing and avoiding sugary temptations.

Classroom visits like the one at Sayre come as part of a community outreach program at the Dental School, which has been going on for 10 years, according to Joan Gluch, the school's director of community health.

Benson said she hopes that by educating children and giving them the supplies they need, they will come to understand the importance of oral health.

"They don't really have an excuse not to do it now," she said.

However, for those who may still find reasons to avoid brushing their teeth and making regular trips to the dentist, the list of excuses will soon grow even shorter, as the Dental School works on creating a van that will function as a mobile dentists' office to travel into West Philadelphia neighborhoods.

Though students and faculty can only offer education and screenings as part of the community outreach program right now, soon, with the help of the dental van, they will be able to offer treatment for patients as well.

With a grant from Penn's Health Resources Services Administration, the van is currently in the design phase, and should be ready by next fall, Gluch said. At nearly 40 feet long, it will offer two fully equipped dental care units, two digital radiography units, an instrument preparation area, computer access and a waiting area with a VCR and DVD player for educational use.

"We really take our responsibility to serve the community seriously," Gluch said. "That's what Penn is about. We can't just stay at the Dental School. We want to make sure we get out."

Dental students must fulfill a 35-hour service learning requirement, and some say the program offers a good opportunity to practice working with children.

The program is also designed to give help and education to a community in need of assistance. According to a pilot study of six schools in West Philadelphia, 68 percent of children screened showed signs of tooth decay and other problems requiring dental care -- more than twice the national rate of 29 percent.

Last year, Gluch estimated, the program saw around 8,000 community members at over 300 different sites around the city.

"Each year we've expanded," she said.

The van will build on the community base put in place through visits to classrooms and other community centers.

"We wanted to make sure the community knew us," Gluch said, adding that such visits "establish a level of trust."

Joseph Starinieri, principal of the Sayre school, says the Dental School's involvement in West Philadelphia is important.

"That's just one example of how much Penn can do for the community," Starinieri said. "I believe the community truly appreciates it."

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