Courtesy photo by Mary Ellen Volansky
Photo by Natasha Kavanaugh
Misty Reed answers questions from a student attending the Sealant Clinic, where
176 students received a variety of dental services in just three days.
Individuals who won electric toothbrushes in a drawing at the Sealant Clinic include
David Paul, Josh Luckie, David Marthallar, Matthw Werder (front) and Apolinar
Howell. Not pictured: Brittany Roberts.
Tooth Talk: Sealant Clinic provides $54,040 in dental care for SVS students
By Mary Ellen Volansky, RDH, MS
The people who worked to make this
free clinic happen are thoughtful and kind,
easy to work with and gentle. Seven Tribal
staff from other departments stepped out
of their work comfort zones to learn new
skills and apply them in a new setting.
Their efforts helped make this the “best
ever” Sealant Clinic in the “best ever”
new dental clinic.
From Feb. 15-17 - just three short
days - 176 students from Siletz Valley
Schools were seen in the Siletz Com
munity Health Clinic. Those children
received $54,040 in dental care: screen
ings (176), sealants (483), temporary
fillings (70), home care instructions and
supplies ( 176) and fluoride varnish ( 176).
Sealant Clinic days are not the usual
eight hours. Student can be seen only during
their school-day hours. The first van-load
of students got picked up at 8:45 a.m.
each day and the last group left the clinic
at about 2:15 p.m.
This year, Sylvia Butler was respon
sible for collecting and delivering 176
students in a safe and timely manner. She
had a particularly difficult job because
of our adjustment of old Sealant Clinic
procedures to this new bigger (i.e., better)
clinic. We were unsure how fast or slow
we might be. Sylvia did great.
Now to those workers out of their
comfort zone: Adrienne Crookes,
Verdene McGuire, Sharon Mason, Cecilia
Tolentino and Tasha Mason.
Tasha, tobacco prevention coordina
tor, worked with Maggie Norton in the
conference room. She provided informa
tion to students on preventing addictions
and the hazards of developing addictions.
Everyone should see the samples of lung
tissue she had - yuck.
Maggie worked her usual finesse with
paperwork and student enthusiasm. They
are a great team.
Sara Bell-Tellez stepped from the
front office to the back - of the clinic,
that is. She worked with Misty Reed as
an assistant for the three days.
Adrienne, Verdene, Sharon and Ceci
lia worked in the clinic with the rest of us.
Techniques for cleaning the operatory,
assisting chairside and applying fluoride
varnish were taught and quickly learned.
Everyone working together made light
of the work.
Every student who participated in
the clinic had his or her name placed in
a raffle for a chance to win one of six
electric toothbrushes, three spin brushes
and three Sonicare brushes. The winners
are pictured above: Matthew Werder (kin-
dergarden), David Paul (grade 9), David
Marthallar (grade 9), Brittany Roberts
(absent, grade 9), Apoliar Howell (grade
4) and Josh Luckie (grade 7).
Why are sealants so important?
Sealants prevent decay in the biting
surfaces of teeth with cusps - molars
and premolars. Teeth with cusps have
grooves and pits formed when the cusps
come together to make a tooth. Other
teeth sometimes have deep grooves and
we seal them too.
Sealant is a coating that is thinly
brushed onto these biting surfaces, plug
ging the pits and grooves. This coating
keeps foods/sugars/acid out. Any bacteria
locked inside when the sealant is brushed
on will die from lack of food. As long as
the coating lasts, the tooth is protected
from getting decay there.
Dental staff check teeth for sealants
when you come in for an exam or clean
ing. If a tooth doesn’t have a sealant, we
will replace a lost sealant(s) or apply seal
ant to newly erupted teeth when needed.
Children’s teeth erupt until they are
18-21 years old. Nearly every year, new
teeth need to be sealed.
We look forward to seeing your chil
dren each February, during Children’s
Dental Health Month, while they attend
Siletz Valley School.
If you have questions about sealant,
teeth or the oral cavity, ask your dentist
or hygienist. Schedule your next exam
and cleaning by calling 541-444-1030 or
800-648-0449. We are ready to help meet
your oral health needs.
Tooth Talk now can be reached at
maryellenv@ctsi.nsn.us. Please send me
your questions, which potentially could
be in an article based on questions from
Siletz Tribal members.
Notah Begay III Foundation small grants support youth health, leadership
SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. -
The Notah Begay III (NB3) Founda
tion is pleased to announce the launch
of its small grants program to support
innovative and community-based work
to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes
and promote leadership development of
American Indian youth through sports.
The NB3 Foundation’s small grant
program is designed to provide support
to nonprofit organizations, pueblos and
Tribal nations serving American Indian
youth. Small grants are competitive and
the foundation will provide awards of up
to $1,000 to support sports and wellness
projects that promote obesity and type 2
diabetes prevention and leadership devel
opment of American Indian youth.
Projects that include soccer or golf will
be given special consideration, although
this is not a requirement.
How to apply: All organizations
interested in applying for small grant
funding must submit an online pro
posal by 5 p.m. (MDT) on April 15.
All applicants must complete the online
application form at www.notah.com/pro-
posal-summary-report.html. Only online
submissions will be accepted through the
NB3 Foundation website.
Grant guidelines: Please see com
plete grant guidelines at www.notah.com/
grant-opportunities.html.
Award notifications: NB3 Founda
tion small grant awards will be announced
by June 2011.
Notah Begay III is a four-time PGA
Tour winner and the only full-blooded
American Indian on the tour. In 2005, he
established the Notah Begay Ill (NB3)
Foundation.
The NB3 Foundation’s mission is to
reduce the incidences of obesity and type
2 diabetes and advance the lives of Ameri
can Indian youth. To this end, it supports
the development of evidence-based sports
and wellness programming primarily in
the forms of soccer and golf.
For more information, please contact
Crystal Echo Hawk, executive director,
at grants@nb3f.org, 505-867-0775 or
nb3 foundation .com.
April 2011
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Siletz News
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