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Pierce County Water Supply 101

Date: May 16, 2016
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Uncategorized

 

“Where does our water come from?” The ground? Reservoirs? The kitchen faucet? The store? Brad Harp, Water Resources Manager at Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (TPCHD), often starts his discussion with this seemingly simple question.  He then deftly leads his audience through the complex and fascinating description of our county’s water quality supply and its journey from source to our homes and businesses.

Brad engaged our Pierce County Oral Health Coalition and other community attendees on April 13, 2016 with detailed geology, chemical composition and filtration information and facts about our local water, including dispelling myths and misconceptions about drinking water throughout our county. We learned that our water contains many naturally occurring minerals and chemicals, with the composition uniquely dependent on the geology of its location. The audience also learned about treatment history of water monitoring, from sand filters used by the Romans 2,000 years ago to 1962 when the U.S. Public Health Service first adopted drinking water standards, to more current technological advances in water quality treatment methods.

The audience came away with a clearer understanding that “drinking water” is infinitely more complex than just oxygen and hydrogen, and with a deeper appreciation of the high quality water monitoring and treatment that takes place in Pierce County.

To request more information or a presentation on this topic, please contact:

Brad D. Harp, L.Hg

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department

Water Resources Program Manager

(253) 798-2851

BHarp@tpchd.org

For helpful information about drinking water and wells, go to: http://www.tpchd.org/environment/drinking-water-wells/

For the latest TPCHD information on lead, go to: http://www.tpchd.org/environment/healthy-environment/lead/

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

 

“What’s trending in oral health” symposium October 2015

Date: August 28, 2015
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: Adult Dental, Chidren's Dental, Drug trends and oral health impact, E-cigarettes, Oral health pathology, Oral Health Strategies, Oral Health Trends, Oral Systemic Health, Sleep Apnea, STD's, Uncategorized, Vapor cigarettes

You already know that oral health is directly linked to overall health and well-being. Pierce County’s “What’s Trending in Oral Health” Symposium will help you stay on top of the trends, gain new insight and relevant, timely information about medical, social and other factors that impact oral health. Join us in Tacoma for this educational morning on Friday, October 2, 2015.

  • Professional, engaging speakers
  • Useful information in working with patients, students, community members
  • Four (4) CEU credits
  • Affordable
  • Local and convenient @ Bates Technical College South Campus, 2201 S. 78th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409
  • Sponsor exhibitors with valuable information
  • Detailed speaker, topic, directions and registration information found here:PCOHC 2015 Oral Health Symposium_Registration_Flyer [2015.09.10]

Who Should Attend?
• Dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants and front office staff.
• School and preschool health educators, nurses, and health aids.
• Primary care physicians, pediatricians, ARNPs, and PAs.
• Registered nurses, LPNs, and nursing assistants.
• Anyone interested in oral and overall health.

Don’t miss out! Register by 9/24/15 or earlier by completing/submitting:PCOHC 2015 Oral Health Symposium_Registration_Flyer [2015.09.10]

See you there!

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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

PCOHC members deliver free dental care at youth-focused event

Date: February 13, 2015
Author: Dawn Jacobs
Categories: ABCD, Adult Dental, Chidren's Dental, Child Dental, Medicaid, Oral Health Strategies, Uncategorized, Volunteer Dental Care

As part of HYPED (Homeless Youth Prevention and Empowerment Day), the Pierce County Dental Society and Oral Health Coalition members combined talent and services at Spanaway Middle School on January 24, 2015, to provide dental care with a focus on youth in our community. Participating organizations include Access to Baby and Child Dentistry, Bates and Clover Park Technical College Dental Assisting Schools, Community Health Care, Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children, Medical Teams International, Pierce College Dental Hygiene School, Puyallup Tribal Health Authority, and many other private dentists.

The dental section of the event experienced a steady stream of patients, conducting over forty screenings, eleven cleanings, and twenty-nine varnishes. The Medical Teams International dental van, with its volunteer professional dental staff, provided twenty-one patients with additional treatment.  The value of donated care was $13,710.   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.

For those interested in volunteering in the dental services area at the Tuesday, March 31, 2015 Project Homeless Connect at the Washington State Fairgrounds, please contact Cheryl Jenkins at pcds@pcdentists.org.