UMKC works with rural school to address dental health needs

Dental faculty and students from the University of Missouri-Kansas City are bringing dental care and education to students in the south central Missouri community of Theodosia.

Many students at the Lutie R-VI school had never received a dental checkup or treatment until last November. Drs. Michael McCunniff and Harvey Eplee, faculty members at the School of Dentistry, and a team of four students treated 145 students during a weeklong visit.

Robert Campbell, Lutie R-VI superintendent, said: "There are no dentists within 20 miles of here. Parents weren't able to get their kids treated. When we hooked up with (the dental school), things got rolling. They're great to work with."

The work already has made a difference. "The absentee rates have gone down," said Joyce Taber, director of special programs. "Kids aren't having toothaches or other dental-related problems."

Showing off their smiles are Cathleen Taylor, a fourth-year dental student, and one of the 145 students at Lutie R-VI school who received care from the University of Missouri-Kansas City's dental outreach program.

The program started when Taber called Michael Reed, dean of UMKC's School of Dentistry, to request an oral health assessment and prevention program.

"We needed a provider," Taber said. "The Missouri Department of Health had awarded us a renewable comprehensive health care grant for children, but we didn't have a dentist. It was a miracle that Dr. Reed was so open and willing to talk about the grant."

Reed said: "We feel the School of Dentistry needs to expand beyond its walls. Our faculty went down there, scoped it out, got some data and returned with some students to deliver some care. That's the beginning of more rural networking and outreach."

Taber said: "We had nothing-no school nurseand we're a poor county. The per-capita income is $9,000 a year. The people here love their children, but when you've got to choose between groceries and the dentist, it can be tough."

In spring 1996, McCunniff and Eplee visited the county and assessed a randomly selected group of 130 students. The assessment data are being used to formulate recommendations for improving oral health programs in the county.

The goals of the project were set by the people of Ozark County, McCunniff said. "They didn't want to become dependent on UMKC as their primary-care source. They want their children to learn basic home care for oral health."

Eplee, McCunniff and their students returned in November to provide treat-ment. The team performed oral exams on all children whose parents gave consent, cleaned their teeth and provided home care instructions. The team filled cavities, sealed good teeth and removed bad ones.

"It was pretty impressive to see the kids' change in attitude toward oral health care," McCunniff said. "I think we made an impression. Two different times we gave toothbrushes to kids who had never seen them before because they'd been raised by grandparents who wore dentures and never needed them."

In April, the team will return to Ozark County to treat the rest of the students. In addition to portable equipment from the Missouri Department of Health, the team will use one of Missouri Elks Association's mobile dental vans.

`This offers our dental students a chance to see problems in rural areas they often would not face in Kansas City or larger cities.' Michael McCunniff

Lutie R-VI school officials already are planning for next year. The dental program has been written into next year's grant renewal application. "If we teach these children to trust dentists and believe in dental health, this could help them get better jobs and eventually bring dental health care into their personal health cycles," Taber said.

McCunniff calls it a win-win situation. "This offers our dental students a chance to see problems in rural areas they often would not face in Kansas City or larger cities." Besides offering a different environment for UMKC students, the program also provides the service to rural students free of charge.

As a result of his work in Ozark County, McCunniff was selected to represent UMKC at a prestigious international meeting, the Salzburg Seminar. In Austria, McCunniff joined 53 other health professionals from 28 countries to address the topic of "Health Care Partnerships: Meeting the Needs of Underserved Communities." McCunniff presented his work at Lutie R-VI to the group.

Since then he has received calls to visit three more counties.

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