You may have already read about Dr. Everson’s experience with Give Kids A Smile Day in February. Over 450 kids without access to dental care were given preventative and restorative care on February 3^rd and 4^th. But just who is behind that awesome event? SCOHAC (Sonoma County Oral Health Access Coalition)!

In 2009 it was determined that, in Sonoma County, “almost half of our kindergarteners and about 6 out of 10 3^rd graders have experienced tooth decay, and over 16% of them have untreated decay.” (Sonoma Smile Survey 2009, Sonoma Health Alliance) The Sonoma County Health Access Coalition works with dentists and organizations to provide local individuals with the oral health care everyone deserves.

What to know a little more about SCOHAC?

Mission

The mission of SCOHAC is to collaborate in the promotion of oral health through advocacy, prevention, education and improved access to care for all people in our community.

Goals

Influence Policy and Legislation by advocating for fluoridation of public water supplies, increased access for children’s dental services, expansion of dental insurance programs and improved private provider networks.

Mobilize neighborhoods and communities by identifying common goals and a set of community indicators for children’s oral health and organize as a community advisory group.

Change organizational practices by promoting efforts to establish a dental home for every child and encouraging health care providers to detect dental caries as a primary health care prevention strategy.

Foster coalition and networks by convening quarterly; connecting networks of dental providers; encouraging childhood obesity, nutrition and oral health coalitions to understand the linkages and work together collaboratively.

Educate providers by conducting an education campaign to make oral health an accepted part of overall health care and services.

Promote community education by educating and training teachers, parents, nurses, childcare providers and others who serve children about oral health issues and the integrating of oral health messages into communications at all service sites.

Strengthen individual knowledge and skills so service and medical providers can educate parents about the importance of using dental insurance and early periodic dental visits for children: Expand education programs for families about oral health and hygiene.

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For questions or information about SCOHAC or our oral health programs, please contact: Susan Cooper, DDS, Chair SCOHAC and Dental Director, Community Action Partnership at scooper@capsonoma.org

Every year, hundreds of children across Sonoma County go without preventative and restorative dental care. February was Kids Dental Health Month, making it the perfect time to get your young ones in for a cleaning or other dental treatment!

In effort to educate and treat disadvantaged youths across the county, Dr. Everson teamed up with Dr. Susan Cooper, DDS and the Sonoma County Oral Health Access Coalition to help provide dental care to over 450 kids on Give Kids a Smile Day. On February 3^rd and 4^th, Dr. Everson visited Dr. Kristen DeVinzenzi’s office to provide preventative and restorative care to children who do not have access to dental care.

Over 160 people volunteered their time and energy to give hundreds of kids the smile they deserve. If you would like to volunteer next year or would like more information on how you can help, contact Cory Spencer at cspencer@capsonoma.org

For questions or information about SCOHAC or our oral health programs, please contact: Susan Cooper, DDS, Chair SCOHAC and Dental Director, Community Action Partnership at scooper@capsonoma.org

The fall convention is always in San Francisco and usually promises fantastic weather! This year I concentrated on one subject -conservative esthetic dentistry.

Our goal is to give clients what they want in porcelain veneers and composites while saving as much tooth structure as possible. With good planning and new materials, we can now deliver a great smile with a minimum or no loss of enamel.

If you are considering veneers or white fillings, there is a new method of in- office bleaching that requires only 20-25 minutes. No impressions, no custom trays and you will be in and out quickly.

“Another great visit…  just like family.”
- Paul

I found that there are manydental projects being partially if not totally supported by Rotarians around the world.

In the US, Green Bay Rotarians helpeddevelop a mobile van serving youth in Green Bay, WI. Area. Other Rotarians around the US sponsor dental projects within their own local communities.

American based Rotary clubs have an impressive number of dental projects around the world especially in Mexico, Central America and cooperate with projects with other clubs in India, the Cook Islands and even Azerbaijan.

A Canadian Rotarian writes, “We live in a disconnected word.  Rotary helps us to CONNECT…..to our local community and those on the other side of the world. Above all, Rotary helps us connect to the very best within ourselves.”

“Always professional and cheerful- very knowledgeable” 
- Francesca

In my field, the goal of increasing the number of adults who receive preventive interventions in the dental office is most interesting.

The three parts to this goal include:

1.help patients with tobacco cessation

2. provide increased awareness and vigilance for oral and pharyngeal cancers. These cancers are increasing due to the involvement of a strain of the HPV virus.

3. to increase the number of patients referred for glycemic control.

For more detailed information, contact my office or Healthy People 2020 online.

Testimonial: “I find Dr. Everson and her entire staff to be exceptionally skilled, professional and warm and engaging…” – Mary

For dentists, the Oral Health objectives are broken down into 17 separate areas and those are broken into goals for each objective.

  Sealants is goal #13 under oral health and the target is to increase the number of children, up through age 15 who receive sealants on their teeth.

The goal is to increase the number of children receiving sealants by 10%.  Right now only 25.5% of U.S. children aged 6-9 receive sealants on one or more of their permanent molars. The goal is to increase the amount 10% or up to 28.1% over 10 years.

Personally, that seems like such slow progress. Next time, more on Healthy People 2020.

Testimonial: “I no longer feel anxiety before going to my appointment at your office” – Bonnie

Well, I agree with the frustration but let’s look at it another way. These restorations (fillings and crowns) have worked well for 30 to 40 years.

Think of the ways and how often you use your teeth and the abuse we sometimes put them through. They have been exposed to hot, cold, erosive and hard foods, and high pressure.

How many items exposed to this of kind use would not need refurbishing in 30 or 40 years?

Natural teeth are meant to be used but they do wear and break,  and so do man-made dental restorations.

Testimonial:

“Dr. Everson put my dental health first… Very informative, thorough and caring.  Staff is great.” – Tricia

How can we help our patients? Many times we see patients that has lost enamel as a result of several of these causes.

If we identify the problem early, we can educate the patient on how to brush, prescribe a soft tooth brush and fluoride toothpaste and possibly advise a mouthguard.

We suggest that a patient not brush right after drinking or eating acidic food and perhaps drink through a straw. Also, using chewing gum and a saliva substitute help if one has dry mouth.

Believe it or not, these drinks are not as acidic as a cola but the sports drinks dissolve enamel 3 to 11 times more that a cola drink. Why?

Studies show that the citric acid added to these drinks maintains an acid level closer to the tooth surface over a longer time and binds up the calcium in the protective coating on the tooth.

Without the coating of calcium on the tooth surface, the citric acid can dissolve more tooth structure (erosion) and possibly leave the tooth susceptible to decay.

What our patients say: “Always responsive, incredibly thorough, follow up even when I drop the ball” – Anonymous

Recently the CDA Journal dedicated a complete issue to the erosion of teeth-  the loss of tooth structure due to exposure to acids.  These acids can come from our own bodies such as in gastric reflux or bulimia or from the foods and drinks that we consume.

Sports drinks were originally formulated for athletes involved in prolonged and intense exercise.  But my concern is for all the other young people that consume them every day and don’t understand the long-term effects on tooth structure and future comfort. Next time, we will examine the effects and their causes.

Here is what our patients say: “I am very happy that my neighbor recommended your office…everyone has been very nice and professional” – Enrique