Clinic brings smiles to Connery kids

LYNN – The stage in the Connery Elementary School gymnasium-cafeteria was transformed into a dental clinic Monday where dozens of students received a checkup, cleaning, fluoride treatment and a free toothbrush with a tube of toothpaste to take home.The clinic, run twice a year by the Boston-based Forsyth Institute, utilizes primarily federal funds.”They bring in all the equipment. We don’t need to do anything except find the space to set up,” said Principal Patricia Riley, noting the school enrolls many children from Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Somalia. “A lot of them have never had dental care before.”Four hygienists worked simultaneously, the students lined up to take their turn on one of the bench-like recliner beds. Teeth were examined and cleaned. Data on each child was inputted electronically on a digital pad and wirelessly transferred to a printer. The children were given a printout of the dental care received, so that parents or guardians have a record.”In Hyannis, we operated from a supply closet. In Revere, they put up screens in the main lobby,” said Kathleen Hill Zichy, president and chief executive officer of the Forsyth Insitute.According to Zichy, schools are targeted for free dental care by examining how many students are eligible for free or reduced-fee lunch programs. “We started this program in 2003 with a few schools in Boston, Hyannis and Lynn,” she said. “By 2007, ForsythKids had served 5,000 children in more than 40 elementary schools in Boston and Lynn, and nearly every community on Cape Cod.The Connery School, which enrolls 580 students, clearly falls into that category. Hygienists typically stay at a school for three days or until all the eligible students have been examined. Six months later, they return and repeat the care plan.”This program has been singled out as a model of best practices in the nation,” said Zichy. “Last year, we were cited by the American Pediatric Association’s Oral Health Summit.”U.S. Rep. John F. Tierney, a Salem Democrat, was instrumental in ensuring that federal funding for the dental clinic remains available. Although the program also depends on a portion of state funds, those dollars have been dramatically reduced.Tierney, who visited the Connery School clinic Monday, said dental problems often go undetected in disadvantaged families where money is tight. The lack of dental care can also be traced to cultural practices found among some immigrant communities, he said.”A kid with a toothache is going to have a harder time paying attention in class and a harder time learning,” the congressman said. “We want to put them on the path to better oral health. That not only helps them today – a preventative care programs saves money in the long run because they won’t need as much dental work in the future. We’d like to see some dentists from the area get on board because these people can’t be responsible for all of it.”Unhealthy teeth can also make eating difficult and foster a negative self image, Zichy said.Tierney emphasized that the entire family benefits through the clinic, noting that the child who brings home a toothbrush and toothpaste becomes the educational link.”We see a lot of decay. There’s a very high population of students who go untreated,” said Zichy. “But by keeping a record of the treatment each child receives, at the next checkup in six months we can determine whether they have been following up.”Students with tooth decay receive a parental report to help accelerate the process of obtaining insurance and finding a dentist for permanent fillings.The Forsyth Institute was founded in 1910 on a bold ambition to provide dental care for every disadvantaged child in Boston. Between 1914 and the mid-1950s, an estimated 500,000 children received their dental care courtesy of the institute. Upon reaching adulthood, many had gleaming smiles, earning them the nickname Forsyth Kids.