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Wednesday, April 12, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
RURAL DENTAL: Program
helps Oregon’s most
vulnerable
Continued from page 1
she says. Anesthetic is not a
convenience for a child who’s
anxious about having her teeth
worked on — it’s a necessity
for procedures that can take
hours.
“We don’t put kids to sleep
for two teeth,” Slaughter said.
The patients she sees are
“some of the worst cases
we’ve seen — with extensive
rot and damage.
“These kids need every
tooth in their mouth fixed,”
she said.
Slaughter acknowledged
that some people question
the necessity of taking radical
surgical action to fix immature
teeth. But she notes that oral
health is a significant factor in
systemic health — infections
and disorders in the mouth
can compromise overall
health. And significant prob-
lems with immature teeth can
cause adult teeth to grow in in
a compromised state.
And the children are often
in a significant amount of pain.
“A lot of people dismiss it
as, ‘Oh, it’s just baby teeth,’”
she said. “But it has far-reach-
ing implications if we don’t
take care of them.”
Slaughter and Post typi-
cally work on three cases per
visit and handle from 10 to 12
per month. That’s down from
16 per month due to budget
cuts.
Slaughter says the ability
to fly out of Sisters Airport
is vital to the program. Her
husband, Jerry, is usually her
pilot, but she’s working on
getting her license.
“I’m hoping to fly solo by
the summer,” she said. “My
whole goal is to be able to fly
myself.”
The region’s severe win-
ter weather precluded flying
for several months, which
reinforced for Slaughter how
important it is to be able to
simply fly for an hour to get
to cases.
“I drove all winter to do
this, and if I had to do that
every day, all year, I wouldn’t
be able to do this,” she said.
The work is satisfying,
especially when Jessica knows
she’s helped relieve pain. But
it’s challenging on multiple
levels.
As a CRNA, Slaughter puts
in a secure airway on every
patient, which makes the pro-
cedure very safe. But some-
times she sees circumstances
that are tough to grapple with.
“You have kids that grow
up around people smoking
Agenda
PHOTO PROVIDED
Cases are among the worst Sisters woman has seen.
marijuana, and they’re really
resistant to drugs,” she said.
The condition of a child’s
teeth is often a symptom of
general neglect, and it’s tough
to see that and realize that
not much is going to change.
Intervention is often not in the
cards.
“Our child welfare sys-
tem is broken at best,”
Slaughter said. “They’re over-
whelmed… This is one of the
most vulnerable populations
in Oregon. It’s a frustrating
job. I’m not surprised by it,
but it’s hard to see it day after
day.”
In part because of their vul-
nerability, the children tug at
Slaughter’s heart strings.
“They’re honestly some
of the cutest kids you’ve ever
seen,” she said. “It breaks your
heart; it really does… Most
people don’t want to hear this
stuff but it’s out there and it’s
horrible. It’s heart-breaking.”
Just as it does for first
responders, facing realities
most of us don’t see leaves
wounds and scars. Slaughter
takes care of herself with runs
on the trails of Sisters Country
and by providing wellness ser-
vices through her Sisters busi-
ness, Hope Aesthetics.
She recognizes that she’s
working against the weight
of dysfunction and long-term
neglect, but she takes comfort
in knowing that she is reliev-
ing pain and, if only temporar-
ily in many cases, improving
the health and well-being of a
child.
And that keeps her on the
wing, headed out into the
Oregon outback to help chil-
dren in need.
The Center
The Center is the premiere location in Central
Oregon for diagnosis and treatment of problems
associated with the musculoskeletal system, which
includes bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles
and nerves.
Since 2012, Dr. Timothy Bollom has been see-
ing patients in Sisters at St. Charles Family Care. He
treats patients of all ages and diverse backgrounds,
with a focus on comprehensive diagnosis and treat-
ment of knee and shoulder disorders. From simple
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The Center is home to some of the region’s most
highly skilled orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons
and specialists, who offer a comprehensive range of
musculoskeletal services. Our board-certified physi-
cians have specialized training in a multitude of spe-
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medicine and rehabilitation, sports medicine, and
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you need for the best possible outcome.
Th e path to better health
starts with a single step —
call today
for a complimentary
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541-549-6878
www.sistersathleticclub.com
Sisters City Council
City Hall
520 E. Cascade Ave.
Wednesday, April 12, 5:30
p.m. workshop
1. Review Draft Ordinance
for Vehicles for Hire— R.
Allen & P. Davenport
2. Review
Draft
Ordinance for CEC Franchise
Agreement — J. Green
3. Other Business – Staff
& Council
6:30 p.m. regular meeting
• Resolution No. 2017-04:
Supporting the City Of Sisters
grant application to the
Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department for the reha-
bilitation of pathways and
approaches to the Creekside
Park and Campground
bridge over Whychus
Creek.
• Accept a temporary
water line easement from
Sisters Airport Property,
LLC.
• Accept an on-site water
line easement from Sisters
Airport Property, LLC.
• Accept a fire hydrant
water line easement from
Sisters Airport Property,
LLC.