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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2013)
Tooth Talk: Sealant Clinic to treat more than 200 children in just 3 days By Mary Ellen Volansky, EPDH, MS The annual sealant clinic for Siletz Valley School (SVS) is set for Feb. 26-28. During this clinic, students will receive a screening, home care instructions and home care supplies. After the screening, sealants are placed as needed and we will place temporary fillings if they are needed as well. We will provide a letter to parents of the treatment provided and will indicate if any immediate treatment needs require attention. If your children attend SVS and you would like to have them seen in our clinic, it is still possible to sign up. Most students signed up at registration in late summer. If your child is new to SVS or you did not complete the form at registration, call Teri Nielson at SVS, 541-444-1100, to receive the one-page form to fill out. Siletz Library receives Baha’i books Siletz Baha’is Kathleen VanPelt Forster, Tribal Elder, and her husband, Richard Forster, recently presented Siletz Librarian Carol Schramm (center in photo below) with two Baha’i books for the religion sec- tion of the library. The books, Some Answered Questions and Indian Tribes of the Pacific Coast, are written about or by Baha’is. They are the first Baha’i books in the library. Questions read- ers may have regard- ing spirit, mind and soul are answered by Abdul Baha, son of the founder of the Baha’i faith, Baha’u’llah (Glory of God). He gave these answers in synagogues, churches, mosques and colleges across the U.S. in 1912. 2012 marked the 100 th anniversary of his visit. Readers who have read Warriors of the Rainbow will recognize the author’s name, Vinson Brown, as he tells of the trials of the Indians from Alaska to Cali- Courtesy photo by Steve Power fornia in his book, Indian Tribes of the Pacific Coast. Other book presentations for the library will be made in February. Dates and times will be announced. Many of the materials we use during this clinic are donated by the American Dental Association, including (but not limited to) sealant, fluoride varnish, home care supplies and bibs. Dr. Megan Saxton applied for the grant this year, which has to be done by the beginning of October. The Siletz Dental Clinic received the largest amount of these supplies given to any program in Oregon. Go, Dr. Saxton! Another area and importance is the volunteers. These are people who step out of their usual work day and take on tasks that are new or seldom done in their regu- lar jobs. Some of them leave their families in the valley to work at the sealant clinic. They work for three days in a new setting and with different people than usual. These volunteers keep up with a busy schedule as they help us care for up to 225 children in three days. They do this with a gentle ease and a smile. This year, these courageous volun- teers are Adrienne Crookes, April Bender, Verdene McGuire and Cecilia Tolentino. Staff involved in this clinic include Drs. Douglas Chadwick and Megan Saxton; Dental Assistants Bobbi Foley, Bonnie McAlpine, June O’Connor and Misty Reed; Sara Bell-Tellez in reception; and me. We are a hard-working group of people who love what we do. This clinic is a chance for us to shine a tad brighter, or maybe a tad harder, as we step out of our professional comfort zones to serve our community. At SVS, Teri Nielson and Cami Stam organize the student end of things for the sealant clinic. They develop the schedule of who (as in what grades) and when (every 30 minutes from 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day). Every 30 minutes, a group of 10 stu- dents will leave SVS for the clinic and another group will leave the clinic and return to SVS. This involves coordinating with each student’s classes, activities and the ever-important lunch – for all 200 + of them. Boggles my mind just describing their work, let alone doing it. Thank you, Teri and Cami. The transporter has the busy task of driving back and forth every 30 minutes to pick up or drop off those 10 students. He or she must attend to safety, seat belts and traffic and then walk them to the clinic conference room. Last year, the transporter was Sylvia Butler. This year’s transporter has not yet been determined. This sealant clinic has grown each year I have worked here, seven clinics so far. Every year, we have exceeded our outreach to children in our community, increasing their chances for a life of healthy smiles. If I could get each of you who make this clinic possible an award, I would. What I can give you is my respect and admiration … thank you. Healthy Kids supplements IHS coverage Check out new NDNSpark website SAVE THE DATE When: April 4, 2013 Registration Check-in: 9 a.m. Activities: 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Where: Chinook Winds Casino All Tribal Elders and spouse OR care giver have been invited to the Annual Circle of Friendship Siletz Tribal Elders Honor Day. No children and families please. Honor day will provide: Luncheon, Bingo, Door Prizes, Goodie Bags and Entertainment Registration due by Feb. 28, 2013 8 • Siletz News • February 2013 Specifically designed for Native youth (13-24 years old), NDNSpark is a new tool from the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) that will help you set goals and track your progress. Whether you plan to walk a mile every day, improve your jump shot or read a new book every month, NDNSpark’s goal tracker will record your goals, track your progress and challenge others in your community. NDNSpark is an online commu- nity for Native youth to use as they develop into the next generation of leaders. The online community will support youth as they set individual goals, achieve community goals and build leadership skills. Members who sign up at teens. ncai.sparkpeople.com are added to the NCAI community, where monthly goals will be set for our community, youth teams can estab- lish their own pages and individu- als can ask others for ideas or tips about community projects. The opportunities are endless and NCAI looks forward to helping youth across the nation organize and achieve any goal they set. 1-877-314 - 5678 www.OregonHealthyKids.gov We cover all the health coverage American Indian / Alaska Native kids and teens need.
