Tag Archive for: #carolinafellowsfamilydentistry

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GVPH Gets $50K For ‘Tooth Club’ Preventive Oral Health Services

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– information courtesy of Granville Vance Public Health

Granville Vance Public Health has been awarded $50,000 by the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation for the CFFD-Tooth Club, a program to address and correct oral health issues among students enrolled in Vance County Schools, Henderson Collegiate, and Vance County Head Start. The GVPH Carolina Fellows Family Dentistry clinic will run the Tooth Club with a goal of ensuring that all uninsured students attending partner schools receive needed preventive and restorative oral care.

Dr. Navid Nesab, a CFFD dentist, said the grant will make possible an array of convenient services for students and their families.

“Our CFFD Tooth Club clinics allow students to receive preventive oral health services within a familiar school environment, reduce the amount of time students are absent from school for oral health appointments, and keep parents from having to miss work to take their child to the dentist for needed oral health services,” Nesab stated. “Triangle North Health Care Foundation’s grant also allows us the ability to perform restorative care for uninsured patients at  no cost to the families.”

The Tooth Club will offer preventive oral care – such as cleanings, x-rays, fluoride, sealants and oral health education – to uninsured students enrolled in the CFFD-Tooth Club.

CFFD provides services, including restorative oral health care, at no cost to the student or family regardless of insurance status, household income or immigration status.

While the nation’s oral health has improved, not everyone in Vance and Granville counties has access to dental care. Regular preventive dental care is essential for good oral health, and early childhood tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease in the U.S.

Left untreated, tooth decay can lead to infection and pain that can inhibit a child’s ability to eat, sleep, speak, play and learn, as well as cause chronic health challenges such as diabetes, heart disease and malnourishment.

Any child attending Head Start, Henderson Collegiate or Vance County Public Schools is eligible to enroll for the Tooth Club clinics, which will be held at each school location periodically.

To enroll, parents can contact the school nurse of their child’s school to obtain a consent form, or contact the dental clinic at 919.693.8797 or dental@gvph.org.

For more information, visit https://www.gvph.org/clinic/dental/.

The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is a non-profit organization that awards grants to support and invest in health and wellness initiatives in Vance, Warren, Franklin and Granville counties that result in immediate and long-term improvement in the health status of the region.

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Granville Vance Health Announces Opening of Dental Clinic in Oxford

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Sandra Micou and Wendy Smith, representatives of the Granville Vance District Health Department, were on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the recent opening of the health department’s Carolina Fellows Family Dentistry Clinic along with February’s designation as “National Children’s Dental Health Month.”

Located at 115 Hilltop Village in Oxford, the non-profit dentistry clinic serves Granville and Vance County residents of all ages, both the insured – through Medicaid or private insurance – and the uninsured.

A sliding fee scale for services is available for uninsured residents depending on income status and household size.

Dental services are offered to the entire family and include cleanings, x-rays, fluoride treatments, sealants, restorative and emergency services.

With two dentists, two dental assistants, a dental hygienist and a bi-lingual front desk assistant, all from the local area, Smith said a visit here feels like time spent with good friends. “All are from this community; it’s like coming home when you go there. They are friendly and want you to feel comfortable and educated about your oral health.”

This friendly atmosphere is sure to make children, notoriously skittish about visiting the dentist, feel more relaxed.

In honor of “National Children’s Dental Health Month,” Micou reminded listeners that children should have their first dental visit by the time their first tooth emerges, or no later than their first birthday.

First appointments include a check on emerging teeth and their condition as well as an application of “teeth vitamins” otherwise known as fluoride.

Micou said children should be brushing at least twice a day for two minutes each time, or 30 seconds per quadrant. Dental visits are recommended at least once every six months.

Tips to avoid cavities include limiting children’s intake of sweets, such as candy or juice, and wiping teeth with gauze or a wet rag if the child drinks a bottle before going to sleep for the evening.

While many children get their first baby tooth before their first birthday, Micou said children begin losing their baby teeth around the age of six. This is also the age that children develop their permanent molars.

“As those permanent molars come in, because they are going to be with them the rest of their lives, we suggest getting them into the dentist to have sealants done,” said Micou.

Sealants are a thin coating that sits on top of molars to prevent bacteria and sugar from creating cavities in the grooves. Initial sealant applications last approximately 10 years.

Recognizing the difficulties parents have getting children to dental appointments during the work week, Smith said the health department is looking into setting up a mobile unit that would travel to Granville and Vance County schools to provide dental care. Smith clarified that implementation of such a program is still a year or two away.

In the meantime, the Carolina Fellows Family Dentistry Clinic is conveniently located in Oxford and available to help local children with their dental needs. Clinic hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.; appointments can be made by calling (919) 693-8797.

For more information or to stay updated, please visit the clinic’s newly created Facebook page by clicking here.

To hear the interview with Micou and Smith in its entirety, please click here.