Archives

Aside

project-homeless-connect-flyer_tacoma-armory-2016-10-26

According to Sound Outreach Services, “On any given night in Pierce County 2000 people experience homelessness. This number includes babies, children, teens, and adults. They are victims of domestic violence, people with disabilities, veterans, and senior citizens…Project Homeless Connect provides a starting place on the journey back to safety, stability, health, and hope. Project Homeless Connect reduces the duration of homelessness by providing services that address the basic needs; basic medical and dental care, access to education, employment and benefits systems, chemical dependency assessments, flu shots, haircuts, and much more – all under one roof!”

Please share news of this upcoming 10/26/16 event. To volunteer in the Dental Services area, contact pcds@pcdentists.org. Attendees interested in the dental services are encouraged to arrive early.

Event will be held once again at the Tacoma Armory in downtown Tacoma.

DSC_0042

 

School kids get oral health goody bags

Date: February 19, 2016
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: ABCD, Chidren's Dental, Child Dental, Oral Health Strategies, Uncategorized

Dental decay is a prevalent childhood disease in the USA, responsible for many missed or unfocused days in school due to pain and required treatment. Oral health is sometimes overlooked but is vitally important to a child’s development and ability to concentrate and stay in school.

To put a dent in this trend and support healthy smiles for all children in Pierce County, the Pierce County Oral Health Coalition teamed up in February to assemble over 800 oral health goody bags for kids! Using PCOHC member-donated supplies, each goody bag contained an age appropriate toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and valuable information on how to maintain great oral health and hygiene.

We delivered the bags to St. Leo’s Food Connection in Tacoma. Kevin Glackin-Coley, Executive Director at the St. Leo’s Food Connection is thrilled to be able to share these oral health items with the many 100’s of Clover Park and Tacoma school district students (K-12) who receive a nutritious weekly meal as part of St. Leo’s weekend Backpack Program.

Fortunately, dental decay is nearly 100% preventable and with the necessary tools, good hygiene is a brush and floss away. Nutrition also significantly affects dental health and hence, partnering with St. Leo’s healthy weekend food program was a natural for the oral health coalition.  Project participant organizations included Bates Technical College/Dental Assisting School, Community Health Care, Coordinated Care, Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children, Pierce County Community Connections, Pierce County Dental Society, Puget Sound ESD, SeaMar Community Health, and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department/ABCD and School Nurse programs.

Find additional information about St. Leo’s food connection programs, as well as helpful oral health resources for children:

Pierce County Oral Health Coalition: www.pcohc.org

St. Leo’s Food Connection Backpack Program: http://www.foodconnection.org/pages/backpack.htm

Access to Baby and Child Dentistry: http://www.tpchd.org/health-wellness-1/abcd-access-to-baby-child/

Pierce County Library System: http://www.piercecountylibrary.org/kids-teens/parents-caregivers/early-learning/children-oral-health.htm

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center: http://mchoralhealth.org/toolbox/families.php

WA Dental Service Foundation: https://www.deltadentalwa.com/our-foundation/educational-materials.aspx

 

Free dental and other services at October 2015 Project Homeless Connect

Date: September 15, 2015
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Adult Dental, Affordable Care Act, Chidren's Dental, Emergent Care, Uncategorized, Volunteer Dental Care

Project Homeless Connect returns on October 28, 2015 but at a new location…the Tacoma Armory, 715 S. 11th Street, Tacoma, WA. The Pierce County Dental Society, along with Bates College Dental Assisting School and other Pierce County Oral Health Coalition partners, will provide much needed dental assessments and treatment triage. Other free services include wellness exams, vaccinations, vision resources, health insurance enrollment, haircuts, information regarding career/jobs and housing and more.

Doors open 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM.

PCOHC members interested in helping in the dental area should email pcds@pcdentists.org.

For more information and to share with the community as appropriate, click here for the event flyer: PHC Flyer Armory 2015.10.28

Coalition partners provide free dental care, education and resources

Date: August 10, 2015
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Adult Dental, Emergent Care, Medicaid, Oral Health Strategies, Uncategorized, Volunteer Dental Care
Welcome to the Clinic!
Dental Clinic in action
Amazing volunteer dental team!

A little community flyer goes a long way...

“We were so blessed to have received a flyer about the free dental clinic. These people really care enough to make sure that all would be served. The amazing staff worked together to help each member of the family. What an awesome experience for all!” (Pastor C.R. Adams, New Christ Temple of Deliverance, Tacoma, WA whose staff helped make appointments for and brought a new Pierce County family of four to the 7/31/15 clinic)

Arriving by bus, foot and carpool, over 20 Pierce County adults and some children had huge reason to smile after receiving compassionate, free dental services on Friday 7/31/15 at Bates Technical College’s Dental Assisting program facilities.  Via the wonderful Pierce County Dentists Care program, five Pierce County dentists and an entire team of Bates College’s dental assisting staff and students took x-rays, performed various dental services, alleviated dental pain and problems, and answered patient questions all the while demonstrating how this valuable downtown Tacoma clinic is a caring, oral health learning environment. Jennifer Bunch (Pierce County Dental Society) has coordinated the free dental clinics for years. She expertly welcomed and put each patient at ease, and then connected them to community resources for follow up care as necessary. As for that new Pierce County family of four…they have applied for Washington Apple Health coverage and are on a path to improved oral health.

For more information about the PC Dentist Care program (for uninsured Pierce County residents), call 253-272-1101 or if in dental pain, call 2-1-1 for a dental referral.

Dental community provides free dental care at March 2015 Project Homeless Connect

Date: April 30, 2015
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: ABCD, Adult Dental, Affordable Care Act, Chidren's Dental, Child Dental, Emergent Care, Medicaid, Oral Health Strategies, Uncategorized, Volunteer Dental Care

During the Spring Project Homeless Connect (PHC), the Pierce County Dental Society and Oral Health Coalition members combined talent and services at Puyallup Fairgrounds on March 31, 2015 to provide dental care to community members in need. Participating organizations include Bates and Clover Park Technical College Dental Assisting Schools, Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children, Medical Teams International, Pierce College Dental Hygiene School, and many other private dentists.

The dental section of the event provided $30,234 in donated dental care that included screening 67 individuals and treating 23 in the dental hygiene area. The Medical Teams International dental van, with its volunteer professional dental staff, provided twenty-three patients with additional treatment.  Dental service area volunteers also referred PHC patients for follow up exams and community resources. The Pierce County Dental Society wishes to acknowledge all the oral health volunteers, partners and community resources who worked together to help those in need of dental services. Photos of some of the wonderful dental volunteers are shown below!

Planning for the next Project Homeless Connect is underway for late summer-early Fall 2015. For those interested in volunteering in the dental services area, please contact Cheryl Jenkins at pcds@pcdentists.org.

Professional Dental Team Volunteers
Dental Services Check-In Volunteers
Dental Referral & Resource Volunteers

Free dental services at March 2015 Project Homeless Connect

Date: February 20, 2015
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: ABCD, Adult Dental, Chidren's Dental, Child Dental, Emergent Care, Medicaid, Oral Health Strategies, Volunteer Dental Care

Project Homeless Connect returns to the Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup  on Tuesday, March 31, 2015. As in the past, the Pierce County Dental Society, along with other Pierce County Oral Health Coalition partners, will provide much needed dental assessments and treatment triage.

Doors open 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.

PCOHC members interested in helping in the dental area should email pcds@pcdentists.org.

For more information and to share with the community as appropriate, click here for the event flyer: PHC_Flyer_March_2015_WA Fair Grounds