North Idaho College hosts free kids dental services for ALICE families

COEUR d'ALENE — Going to the dentist can be scary for anyone, especially children.

But Coeur d'Alene 8-year-old Ruby Monreal was as fearless as she was friendly Wednesday morning as she walked into the North Idaho College Dental Hygiene Clinic, smiling, waving and ready for her cleaning.

“I can handle a bunch of things, just not shots,” said Ruby, who wore a cute pair of periwinkle sunglasses to protect her eyes from the lights on NIC student Ashli Snyder's dental loupes.

The clinic was as happy to receive Ruby as it was the other roughly 15 kids who received complimentary cleanings, dental exams, X-rays and screenings paid for by a $1,500 NIC Foundation grant. The funds were awarded to the Center for New Directions, a program of NIC that assists single parents, displaced homemakers and others as they gain the necessary skills to enter or re-enter the workforce and find meaningful, fulfilling employment. The grant specifically targeted the ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed) population, members of which often do not qualify for social services.

Center for New Directions Director Louisa Rogers said children living in the ALICE population typically have worse oral hygiene than their more affluent peers.

"Dental cleanings and X-rays are so important for preventative care leading into adulthood," she said. "When you’re able to get cleanings as a child, that eliminates problems that you might experience as an adult. This resource is more than just a cleaning — it will help these kids well into their adulthood.

"For individuals who aren’t eligible for Medicaid because they’re just over the income limit but they’re barely able to make ends meet, dental care is not going to be a top priority if the top priority is keeping the lights on," she continued. "Having this as a resource is just incredible, and the fact that the dental clinic is accessible to any community member makes it such an asset to our community at large.”

Ruby's mom, NIC business student Shannan Nelson, said their family had an established dentist and insurance, but since she quit her job to go back to school they're now between carriers and providers, which has been tough.

"So this is really nice," the mother of six said. "It gives the students the chance to work with kids, which is quite different than working with adults. And the students are awesome. They love the kids. It’s nice to see them interacting, as a student myself, seeing them learning and the excitement. When we walked into the office today, they were all excited to see us and have this experience too, which was kind of infectious.” 

Assistant dental hygiene professor Laughlin Drake coordinated the day with administrative assistant Yvonne Perez. They decorated the clinic in a colorful back-to-school theme, with glittering streamers and cheerful tooth characters dangling around.

"It's so awesome for the students to work on the kids," Drake said.

She said oftentimes adult patients have anxiety around dental visits that stems from childhood experiences.

"Kids can be fearful of the dentist," Drake said. "To have that positive experience from the get-go sets them up for a lifetime of good dental hygiene care."

The dental clinic is accepting patients — children and adults — to receive low-cost preventive care provided by student dental hygienists under supervision of oral health care professionals. Cleanings are $25 for kids to age 14.

"Being able to get the word out for all families, all people who fall through the cracks, it's a win-win situation," Drake said. "The students get to experience that feeling of helping people with their cleanings and seeing that 'Aha!' moment of how they need to care for their teeth, and at the same time the families are able to receive care."

Call the Coeur d'Alene Clinic at 208-929-4002 for details.

    North Idaho College dental hygiene student Lily Abell conducts a cleaning on little sister Alivia Abell, 5, Wednesday at the North Idaho College Dental Hygiene Clinic.
  

    Student Samantha Karst, center, prepares to give Dominic Abell, 12, a dental exam Wednesday under the guidance of volunteer dental hygiene instructor Selina Gray-Trask.